PETALING JAYA: DAP’s Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming has urged PAS and Umno to support the push for local polls, saying the two Malay-based parties stand to gain the most from the restoration of local council elections.
Ong, who is deputy trade and industry minister, rubbished the notion that local elections would lead to racial strife, saying there was no support for this in the country’s latest demographic figures.
Referring to a 2015 statement on the issue, he said 2010 census data showed that the Malay population in Kuala Lumpur outnumbered that of the Chinese at 45.9% to 43.2%.
Out of three city halls, nine city councils and 37 municipal councils in the country, only six had populations where the Chinese outnumbered the Malays – Ipoh, Kuching Selatan, Johor Bahru Tengah, Penang, Sibu and Subang Jaya.
“In other words, 88% of these large urban areas had a plurality and in most cases, a majority, of Malay residents.
“Even in a place like Petaling Jaya, the Malay population (46.2%) outnumbered the Chinese population (39.6%),” he said in a statement today.
Although he did not have updated population statistics, he said the latest 2017 population projects showed that the Bumiputera population in the federal territories was now at 47% compared to 42% Chinese and 10% Indian.
In Penang, he added, 46% of the population comprised Bumiputeras compared to 44% Chinese and 10% Indians.
“The biggest beneficiaries of local elections in this current context would actually be Umno, followed by PAS.”
Noting that Umno had lost power in eight states following the May 9 general election, he said its MPs and assemblymen no longer had formal access to the local governments in these states.
“Having local elections would allow Umno and PAS to gain representation at the local government level and give them greater access to local government positions and policies,” he added.
He welcomed reports that Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin would be studying different models for local elections which would be more suitable for the Malaysian context.
If Umno and PAS were serious about strengthening democracy, he said, this was as good a time as any for them to advocate the restoration of local elections as well.
On Monday, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said there were no plans to bring back local council elections, citing concerns over racial strife due to the possible differences between urban and rural demographics.
He said local council elections might produce “the wrong results”, which could lead to conflict. - FMT
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.