WHEN local government elections were suspended in 1965 during the Malaysia-Indonesia Confrontation, it was with the assurance that they would be restored as soon as peace was declared. However, the Alliance and then the Barisan Nasional government failed for 53 years to do so. Now, Pakatan Harapan seems to be dragging its feet on restoring these elections.
It was clear that the Alliance and later Barisan opted for the convenience of appointing their own political party cronies as councillors rather than risk the uncertainties of democratic elections.