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Tan Kok Wai To Head The National Committee To Restore Local Government Elections; Submission Of Memorandum To Minister Of Housing & Local Government Datuk Ong Ka Ting On Wednesday 26 January 2005 Press Conference Statement by Lim Guan Eng (Petaling Jaya, Monday): Four decades ago, on 1 March 1965, local government elections were banned on the pretext of facing the then Indonesian Confrontation. Local municipal and district councilors who were previously elected no longer had to face the people. Promises that local elections will be restored upon the end of this national crisis were never fulfilled. Democracy is a proven formula for progress, prosperity, freedom and equal opportunity. At the local level, democracy allows the people to decide on the solution to the problems they are familiar with. It is no accident that the richest countries in the world are all democracies. Malaysia has a three tier level of government, namely at the Federal, State and local government level. Malaysians have only two votes at the Federal and state level. We deserve the third vote at the local government too. There is no reason why elections cannot be held at the local government level if it can be held at Parliamentary and state level. Isn’t it ridiculous that Malaysians can select and decide on our Prime Minister at the Federal level and Chief Ministers at the State level but have no right to elect our municipal councilors or Mayors! Are our municipal councilors and Mayors bigger than our Prime Ministers? For far too long have local government being an appointed office and the people made to suffer its consequences with poor basic services and amenities, disreputable and corrupt management as well as ineffective and inefficient administration. Local governments are by and large unaccountable, unresponsive and often corrupt. When even a communist country such as China allows elections of village heads, there is no reason for Malaysia not to allow grassroots democracy in our cities, districts and villages. When our local government is elected, they will have to perform and serve or else face the judgment of the people. Without elections the principles of democracy requiring participation, consultation and accountability are not fulfilled. The time has come to allow the people the right to participate and be consulted on decisions that affect them as well as demand accountability for actions taken. Only democracy and the right to elect our local government councilors can return power to the people. The CEC at its meeting on 17 January 2005 had established a DAP National Committee for the Restoration of Local Government Elections to be headed by DAP MP for Cheras Tan Kok Wai. However we wish to give the government an opportunity to agree to demands by democracy and a memorandum to that effect will be submitted to the Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting on Wednesday 26 January 2005. DAP National Committee For The Restoration Of Local Government Elections
(19/1/2005) * Lim Guan Eng, DAP Secretary-General |
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