Impossible for Malays to lose political power in local council polls, forum told

DAP leader Lim Kit Siang speaking at the forum on local government elections in Kuala Lumpur last night. He says Malays will hold the majority vote if such elections are held in urban areas. – The Malaysian Insider pics by Seth Akmal, February 6, 2015.It would be impossible for Malays to lose political power if elections for local authorities were to be reinstated as they form the majority in 90% of all city, municipal and district councils in the country, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang told a forum in Kuala Lumpur last night.

He said if local government elections were brought back after being suspended 50 years ago, it is estimated that an overwhelming majority of local councillors would be Malay.

This feature of the country’s demographics, which was revealed at the forum titled, “Will local government elections erode Malay rights”, negates the argument put forth by Umno, Malay supremacists and some PAS leaders that local government elections would worsen ethnic divisions.

Lim said that of the 150 local governments in the country, only three or 2% had Chinese-majority populations.

"About 13 local authorities had plural populations where no race formed a clear majority," said Lim, who is also Gelang Patah MP.

"In places like Kelantan and Terengganu, which have 12 and seven local authorities respectively, Malays make up 92% to 97% of the population.

"So given our demographics, it is scientifically impossible for Malays to lose power through local government elections."

Local government polls have morphed into the latest racial issue after PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said on January 23, that it would sharpen divisions between Malaysia’s communities.

Hadi said DAP's push for local government elections was a mistake as it was only advantageous to urban residents, who were mainly non-Malays.

Hadi had even said that worsening ethnic polarisation due to local council polls, could spark another May 13 racial riot.

Hadi’s views have since been taken up by Umno leaders and Malay supremacist groups who are against bringing back local council polls which were suspended in 1965.

Another speaker at the forum, Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim (pic, right) said that in 1968, a Royal Commission to study local government polls had found that even rural folk wanted to directly elect their councillors.

“They were impressed by democracy and they wanted to keep the power to determine local policies,” said Sim.

Before local council polls were suspended, Malaysia had roughly between 300 and 400 local authorities with 3,000 elected councillors between 1955 and 1965, Lim said.

The commission report was written by then Senator Athi Nahappan and the body itself, which recommended reinstating local government polls, was mostly made up of politicians from Perikatan – the precursor to the Barisan Nasional.

“I remember that in the 1970s PAS MPs themselves called for local council elections to be brought back,” said Lim, who was first elected as an MP in 1969.

PAS leader Hanipa Maidin (pic,left), who was also at the forum, said that he and other PAS leaders also supported local council elections.

Hanipa also questioned why some of his party’s elders have come to oppose such polls as it was part of the Pakatan Rakyat common policy framework which PAS signed before the 13th general elections.

He said bringing back local polls is integral to implementing PR’s policy thrust of “strengthening democracy at the local level” which is stated in the framework.

“My position is clear. If we sign the common policy framework, we pledged to honour the promise. This is a binding contract between all three parties.”

As long as he has been a member of PAS’ central committee, the party has never decided to oppose local government elections.

“So I am also confused how some PAS leaders can come out with a statement that PAS rejects local government polls,” Hanipa said.

“No community should be afraid of local council elections. What is wrong with a Malaysian electing another Malaysian to represent him?” Hanipa said.

- TMI