Proposed Solution to the Local Election Blocking Point for Pakatan

I know it’s a thorny and complicated issue for Pakatan Rakyat. And to blame PAS for not giving 100% backing is also unfair. The issue has a racial connotation. Should PAS give their blessings for a 100% Local Council election proposal, it will definitely bleed the party of their Malay support.

Already the party is suffering in the Malay electorate arena. Lending support to this proposal will spell the death of PAS within the Malay electorate.

There should be a gradual adoption of this policy. An abrupt and absolute adoption of this policy spell trouble for PAS and Pakatan Rakyat as a whole. Remember, part of DAP’s support base comes from PAS’es grounds as well especially in seats where DAP had won with thin margins.

So, it does not serve both DAP or PAS to adopt this policy abruptly.

PROPOSED INTERIM SOLUTION

There is a need to conduct a demographics study of major Local Councils i.e. MPPJ, DBKL, MBSA etc. The racial and religious breakdown must be spelt out clearly. This is because the demographics provided by the SPR is not accurate enough considering most Malays who pay taxes to their local councils do not vote in the areas where they live. Malays normally vote in their hometown while at the sametime pay local taxes to their respective local governments.

As opposed to the Chinese in Malaysia where the major townships are their hometowns. Naturally, the Chinese will be the absolute majority race in the respective major cities.

If these Malays are taken into account, then the demographics will not look that bad after all. In fact, it is my belief that the demographics will look pretty even.

While the census and re-registration is being conducted, I proposed that 50% of the Local Council is elected, while 50% is appointed by the government. The mayor will also be appointed by the State Government.

I believe that Malaysia is too small of a country to have autonomous Local Councils. Having said that, it does not negate the need for an elected Local Council. This is to avoid misrepresentation of the people’s voice as had happened throughout Malaysian history. The DAP has been winning seats like Kota Melaka, Petaling Jaya Utara and Selatan, Ipoh etc. Yet, the respective MP’s and ADUN are not allowed to represent their constituency voices in the administration of the Local Council.

This is a product of Barisan Nasional corrupt and decadent policies. It is stupid and it is silly. And it should not be prolonged.

I believe the current Pakatan states can conduct their own Local Elections using this formula while making their own electoral list and election process. They do not need to depend on the undependable SPR. They can do it themselves and there is still time to do that.

I believe there is good in elected Local Councils. And I hope my suggestion can provide a way out to the Pakatan Rakyat’s dilemma in facing the issue of elected Local Councils.

In any case, having an elected Local Council is good if it can guarantees checks and balance in the system. Trust me, I’ve seen corruption happening in elected Local Councils myself.

But, the good thing with Elected Local Councils is that people’s welfare is better taken care of compared to the Malaysian system.

Tulang Besi

Pakatan divided ahead of convention
UPDATED
By Syed Jaymal Zahiid

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 — Pakatan Rakyat's (PR) democratic ideals will be tested at this Saturday's convention which is being held to produce a common platform as all three component parties remain divided over local council elections.

It is learnt that the opposition to the restoration of local council elections is coming mostly from PKR, the party which in its 2008 elections manifesto proclaimed to be all for "fertilising democracy" through implementing local council elections should it wrest federal power.

The DAP is the only party unanimously backing a return for local elections.

PAS on the other hand has remain quiet on the issue.

The Malaysian Insider understands that only a pocket of leaders within the Islamic party is willing to give the nod on the matter.

A PKR lawmaker from the left faction of the party confirmed with The Malaysian Insider that there have been vehement objections to the idea though no disclosure was made on the reasons behind it.

"If you ask me local council elections are essential for democracy but there are many things that they don't agree on," said the PKR leader.

According to PR insiders familiar with the policy framework, opposition to local elections by party leaders is not new.

It is learnt that some party leaders believe having local elections will make councillors dependent on the party machinery while some are also concerned with the “racial composition in major towns”, the administration centre of most local councils.

But PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub, speaking to The Malaysian Insider, denied that his party or PKR are non-committal but said that the bloc's technical committee on the common platform is trying its best to solve the intricacies of the issue.

"We are not rejecting it but merely trying to iron out some differences on the matter," he said in downplaying the differences.

He added that the committee met in Parliament this afternoon to, among other matters, finalise PR's common policy on the local council election issue.

PKR Sungai Petani MP Datuk Johari Abdul agreed with Salahuddin and told The Malaysian Insider that the local council elections policy is not being “outright rejected”, as claimed by some.

“It’s just that we have to take into consideration many things, like the budget and legal technicalities [needed] to implement it. In principle, we all agree,” he said

Since the suspension of local elections in the 1960s, councillors have been appointed directly by the state government and this has since been turned into a political reward for ruling party officials.

The restoration of local elections is one of the demands made by electoral reforms coalition Bersih, which PR parties are part of.

In November 2007, the group organised the largest street demonstration in the city in a decade, mobilising some 60,000 protesters to demand for free and fair elections.

The coalition’s effort in mobilising support contributed to Barisan Nasional’s (BN) worst electoral performance in Election 2008, which was held just four months later.