An overwhelming majority of Malaysians support the return of local government election despite many also having indicated that they do not fully understand what it meant.

local government merdeka centre 160610 A Pensinsula Malaysia-wide survey done by independent polling group Merdeka Center last month found that 71 percent of those interviewed said they want local government polls.

Chinese respondents to the survey registered the highest (75 percent) support for local polls, followed by Indians (71 percent) and Malays (68 percent).

“However, the same survey also found that slightly less than half of the respondents (45 percent) fully understand what is meant by local government election,” said the independent pollster.

This is particularly true among the younger generation.

local government merdeka centre 160610 According to Merdeka Centre, more than half, or 55 percent, of the respondents - those aged 61 and above - said they know of local government elections.

This could be attributed to the fact that local government election in Malaysia was last held in 1964.

“The youngest age group of the respondents reported the lowest understanding at 37 percent,” said the survey.

Local governmment polls has been a recurrent theme of debate between the BN-led government and the opposition, most recently when the Pakatan Rakyat-led Penang government announced moves to restore local elections.

This was followed by a similar step by the Selangor government.

The Election Commission (EC) poured water over the calls, however, when said it cannot hold local polls in Penang and Selangor as it is bound by such laws as the Local Government Act 1976 (Act 171). 

Federal gov't has 'too much power'

On other matters, when asked regarding the differences between federal and state government, Merdeka Center said 54 percent of respondents to its survey indicated a lack of understanding as to the jurisdictions over public services between the federal and state levels of authorities.

local government merdeka centre 160610 The survey had asked respondents about responsibilities over such public services as roads in housing areas, water supply, public transport, inter-connecting roads, public health, the building of schools and public safety.

"Generally, respondents have mixed understanding of federal and state jurisdictions over these public services.

"Nonetheless, a majority (66 percent) felt that 'there was too much power int he hands of the federal government," said Merdeka Center.

Similarly, the survey found that 29 percent of survey respondents said the main duty of their members of parliament was to "attend to local issues into the constituencies, such as drainage problems."

On the other hand, 38 percent of all interviewed said such problems were for their state assemblypersons to attend to.

A whooping 66 percent of all respondents, however, said they feel "there is too much power in the hands of the federal government."

The survey was carried out between May 6 to May 16 this year by telephone on 1,028 Malaysians who are registered as voters and are above the age of 21.

Respondents were selected using the random, stratified sampling method and structured along the national electorate profile and specifically proportional to gender, ethnicity, age groups and state of residence, said Merdeka Center.

Download full report here .