PSM reminds PKR of Harapan's 'donkey years' third vote stand

 

PKR’s response to the revival of the local council elections debate gives the impression that the issue just emerged and therefore required a consensus among Pakatan Harapan parties, according to PSM.

However, PSM deputy chairperson S Arutchelvan pointed out that both PKR and DAP have made demands about this for “donkey years”.

He pointed out that restoring local elections was included in the election manifestos of Harapan’s predecessor, Pakatan Rakyat.

“After courting Bersatu for GE14 (in 2018), this was reworded as ‘strengthening local democracy’ and to make local councils more accountable to the people they serve,” he added.

When Harapan formed the federal government, Arutchelvan recalled then housing and local government minister Zuraida Kamaruddin stating that several laws were expected to be amended by the end of 2020 to reinstate local council elections.

“This was not seen through as the then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad vetoed the plan (on Dec 10, 2018) on the grounds of preventing ethnic conflict and expanding the wage gap between the rich and the poor,” he added.

Former housing and local government minister Zuraida Kamaruddin

Based on this, Arutchelvan said the current shift in positions is nothing short of “hilarious”.

The PSM leader was responding to PKR communications director Lee Chean Chung who said DAP should have discussed its call to revive local council elections within Harapan first.

Last Sunday, Federal Territories DAP chief Tan Kok Wai had mooted that local council elections be reintroduced, with Kuala Lumpur as the first testing ground.

The proposal was met with pushback from conservatives in Umno, PAS, and Bersatu - who argued that local government elections would result in racial tensions due to DAP’s dominance in such polls.

Meanwhile, Arutchelvan said the third vote is commonplace in countries without a one-party system.

“But in Malaysia, we are not discussing how to enhance the local elections but the misconception and hypothesis that it means more Chinese councillors than Malay councillors.

Federal Territories DAP chief Tan Kok Wai

“Although there is not a single study or data to support this claim, it has been used as the most powerful weapon against the reintroduction of local council elections.

“I am sure if you put the question into a referendum, the majority will support it. Who in their right mind would want to deny their own right to elect their own representative at the local level? Perhaps this is what is feared by all those who are ruling,” he added.

As for politicians who argue against such elections due to the expenditure involved, Arutchelvan said electing a local government would translate to less cronyism, corruption, and leakages.

“It would mean better representatives, better choice of councillors, and more power to the people who pay the taxes to run the local councils.

“Let’s put the question to the rakyat if they want their councillors elected. Let’s not taichi (beat around the bush) about this,” he added. - Mkini