‘Local council elections not a priority for now’

RE-INTRODUCING elections for local authorities is not a priority for the Local Government Development Ministry for now, says minister Nga Kor Ming.

He said the government wants to focus on seven areas that give priority to the public’s well-being.

Among them were ensuring safer roads for users, and cleaner drains and public toilets.

“Therefore, local council elections aren’t the ministry’s priority at the moment,” he told Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Baru).

Local council elections were suspended during the Malaysia-Indonesia Confrontation in the 1960s.

In 1976, the Local Government Act was passed, and it abolished local government elections.

Councillors were then appointed by state governments.

Nga told Takiyuddin that there is also no plan to appoint more local councillors.

During the previous Pakatan Harapan administration, the then housing and local government minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin also said the nation could not afford to hold local elections.