The Coalition for Good Governance (CGG) today decried Selangor executive councillor Ronnie Liu's remarks that local council elections were not possible unless the federal government chose to amend laws.

NONE It also denied having 'differing opinions' in its report entitled 'Advocacy Paper: Bring Back Local Government Elections' prepared for the Selangor government on the issue of local council elections.

CGG handed in the report in early July. It recommended that the Selangor Pakatan state government hold local elections promptly, and proposed three feasible approaches.

The study group reiterated that it has only one position: it unanimously wants the state government to hold elections as soon as possible.

"While the state government or any of its members may hold different opinions other than ours, it would be an act of utmost dishonesty to put words in our mouth," said CGG chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah.

Three options for local council elections

Maria also clarified that the CGG report clearly spells out three options for local council elections to happen:

They are:

1. a long term solution which requires federal leadership and / or consent.

NONE 2. a short term solution which involves the Election Commission but requires no federal consent.

3. an immediate short term solution which achieves the effect of local elections but does not involve the Election Commission.

Ho Yock Lin, from AWAM, said although amendment of laws by the federal government is one of the options, Liu omitted to mention the other two options.

Maria (left) also complained that Liu wrongly stated that the report cost the state government RM20,000.

She said CGG had only applied for RM10,000 and that she had the agreement and receipt to prove it.

Many opinions, not just CGG's

Liu later stressed that he did not say that the 'two different opinions' he mentioned came from the CGG report.

bagan pinang by election 061009 ronnie liu He claimed to be misunderstood, "I meant there are different opinions from different quarters." Liu (right) also said that the Selangor government was not agreeable to CGG's proposal.

"CGG wants to amend laws and (have) elections simultaneously. We don't think that is suitable."

He stated that the Selangor government wants the changes to be done in stages. First, the technical legal problems need to be resolved and once that is done, approval is then sought from the federal government.

As for the RM20,000 dispute, Liu said that CGG still had unfinished tasks for which they would be compensated with another RM10,000.