Former PKR minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad has stressed that Pakatan Harapan should capitalise on its current strengths in government to advocate for proposed reforms in Kuala Lumpur, including establishing mayoral elections and appointed councillors.
In a statement today, the Parti Bersama Malaysia co-leader insisted that Putrajaya would be amiss not to champion the proposals, which have been rejected by an International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) study.
“It would be truly regrettable if the federal government were to let slip such a meaningful opportunity, at a time when the country is led by a Harapan prime minister and the minister responsible for the federal territories is also from Harapan.
“Following the 2022 general election, 10 out of 11 Kuala Lumpur parliamentary seats were also won by Harapan, which had promised to strengthen democratisation and increase accountability in the administration of DBKL (Kuala Lumpur City Hall),” Nik Nazmi said.
The former Setiawangsa MP said this when addressing reports earlier this month that IIUM had advised against mayoral elections and appointed councillors for Kuala Lumpur.
Bias concerns
Commenting on the study, Nik Nazmi noted that he was “not surprised” by its findings against the proposed reform measures, suggesting that the team behind the matter had perhaps made up their minds beforehand.
“I gave my full cooperation to the team conducting the study and tried to maintain an open attitude throughout the course of the study.
“But my impression after meeting with them was that the team leading this study was indeed, from the very start, not inclined towards any amendment.
“It is hard not to wonder whether the conclusion on this issue had already been reached earlier,” the former natural resources and environmental sustainability minister said.
Nik Nazmi also took issue with the study’s argument that any change to a mayor’s method of appointment or functions would contradict the original purpose of the Federal Capital Act, namely the separation of city administration from party politics.
“The argument does not take into account the fact that under the existing system, the mayor themselves is a political appointee, since they are appointed by the federal government.
“Therefore, it can be said that whatever form Kuala Lumpur’s governance takes in the future, whether maintaining the existing system or introducing reforms that have yet to be detailed, it remains a decision that is political in nature,” he said.
A previous statement by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh on IIUM’s findings did not specify whether the study addressed the fact that the mayor is a political appointee and control of the city is subject to whoever is in power in Putrajaya.
Question of democratic representation unaddressed
Nik Nazmi also stressed that as it stands now, the apparent conclusion reached regarding the matter fails to address a “fundamental question” regarding the rights of Kuala Lumpur residents.
“Kuala Lumpur residents do not have the democratic right enjoyed by people in other states, namely having two channels of representation through voting, one to elect an MP and another to elect a state assemblyperson.
“Recognising the challenge of implementing local government elections in the near future, the Private Member’s Bill I proposed earlier put forward the appointment of councillors as a transitional measure.
“The aim was at least to provide one more channel of accountability and representation that Kuala Lumpur residents have long been without,” he said.
Malaysiakini previously reported that IIUM’s findings appeared to contradict a Merdeka Center survey which found that 58 percent of registered voters nationwide supported the proposal for direct elections for the Kuala Lumpur mayor, while 19 percent opposed it.
Even among the Malays surveyed between March 12 and April 9, 56 percent supported mayoral polls while only 26 percent were against. - Mkini
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