I'll convince PM that Malaysians are ready for local polls: Zuraida

All is not lost and Penang might be one of two states to run the local government elections in three years.

Although Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has rejected the idea, Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said it was her duty to convince him that Malaysians were now matured enough for it.

She said once the cabinet greenlights the proposal, the elections will be carried out perhaps beginning with Penang and Selangor which have showed readiness to conduct the polls.

Zuraida said Mahathir may not have been updated on the issue or perhaps he was not exposed to new findings or may have been fed with negative information.

"As a minister, it is my duty and responsibility to convince him that we are ready for local elections," Zuraida said at a public forum themed "Pilihanraya Tempatan: Siapa Untung, Siapa Rugi?"

Zuraida added she had met Mahathir to address his concerns that local polls may result in racial tensions, saying she told the PM that Malaysians showed their maturity when they voted for a new government on May 9 last year.

"The change of government showed that Malaysians are matured enough to make a wise decision, they are ready for local polls".

Described as a maharaja by a member of the audience during the forum's question and answer session, Zuraida denied that Mahathir made decisions in the cabinet unilaterally as he was often accused of doing.

"As a member of the cabinet, I can vouch that the PM does not make decisions unilaterally. We always discuss matters openly, we have ministers like Lim Guan Eng, Gobind Singh Deo and me," she said.

Zuraida also attempted to justify Pakatan Harapan's delay in fulfilling its election manifesto promises, including the decision to allow rare-earths plant Lynas to keep operating.

"When we did the manifesto, we only knew half of the story, so we have to return to the drawing board," she said.

Accompanying Zuraida was Penang exco for housing and local government, Jagdeep Singh Deo.

The forum was organised by the National Coalition for Local Democracy (Dekat) formed in April this year and which comprises several NGOs including the Penang Forum, the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4), SaveKL, MyPJ and Bersih 2.0.

Supported by the Penang government, the event was also backed by the Housing and Local Government Ministry.

Meanwhile, Zuraida said the ministry's technical working group would work with various quarters to prepare a proper Malaysian model or framework for local government elections to be tabled in three years to the cabinet for approval.

"No one will lose out when this is implemented. Although there are issues to overcome, it is doable though it is a long process which we have already started," she said.

In his opening speech, Jagdeep (above) pointed out that, "If we can choose an MP and assemblyperson, why can't we choose a councillor at the local level?"

"Did the race issue arise when you voted for me (Dato Keramat state seat) or Zuraida (Ampang parliamentary seat)? " Jagdeep asked, for which the crowd gave him rousing applause.

"We took this matter (local elections) right up the Federal Court, unfortunately, we lost as the highest court of the land deemed it ultra vires the Federal Constitution," Jagdeep said.

"With the change of government (to Pakatan Harapan) last year, we have decided to review the High Court's decision," he added.

"We are prepared to run local elections but the ball is now in Putrajaya's court." - Mkini