Want to make a difference in local government issues? Become elected candidates for civil society organisations’ (CSO) representatives for the posts of municipal councillors for Penang and Seberang Perai.

NONE The Penang Forum - a locally-based civil society group - is inviting candidates to participate in the election of the nominees by either standing as a candidate for the CSO reps to serve as MPPP and MPSP councillors for 2011, or as voters in the election on Nov 14.

www.penangforum.net

To be held at the Penang Chinese Girls School Alumni Hall in Jalan Bagan Jermal, Penang, from 9.00am to 3.00pm, voters will get to elect five nominees for each of the councils and their names will be later forwarded to the state government for appointment.

The rationale for the event, said organisers, was to bring back participatory democracy in local elections since the exercise was suspended in 1965 by the federal Alliance government.

NONE Spokesperson for the Forum, Francis Loh ( left ), who is also a MPPP councillor, said since the elections were banned, local councillors have been political appointees.

“In 2008, the new Pakatan Rakyat state government appointed a few NGO representatives as part of their election promises which included bringing back local elections,” he told reporters at a press conference today.

“But we do not know how we are selected, therefore we would like to see a more transparent appointment of CSO reps in MPPP and MPSP, and we are asking that for 2011 there be five civil society councillors in each council,” he added.

NGOs were rather peeved with the state government at that point of time as some of their slots (initially 10) were taken up by business representatives and members of the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

On Nov 14, the forum’s programme includes a short history of the local elections, and a briefing on the structures of the two councils and the role of councillors within them, including a discussion on what is to be expected of the candidates.

Nominations will close on Oct 29 and must be sent to social reform group Aliran’s office, while participants interested in the forum should register by Nov 11.

NONE Well-known lawyer and current MPPP councillor Lim Kah Cheng ( right ) said potential civil society nominees would be invited to say a few words on why they should be elected.

“It is time we do away with the idea that appointees are rewards for political party faithfuls or for those who could not win a seat during the general elections,” she said when explaining why the election process was necessary.

“With this, we encourage political parties to also kick-start the same process,” she added.

‘Don’t leave governance to politicians alone’

NONE Meanwhile,  LLG Cultural Development Centre president Toh Kin Woon ( left ) said the business of governance should not be left to politicians alone.

He said the people should be given a chance to decide who runs the government as there are many sectors which are marginalised and poor, where their voices need to be heard.

“I have experienced two local government elections, there is immense excitement where people would campaign in public rallies,” said the veteran politician who was a member of the state exco under Gerakan before he quit the party in 2008.

“It shows people are concerned about their local government, where they can express their unhappiness about how their locality is run through the ballot boxes

Women’s Crisis Centre executive director Loh Cheng Kooi said the event is an attempt by civil society to initiate a level of democratisation for the people but it doesn’t stop people from going straight to the state and offering themselves as candidates.

“But we encourage people to come and nominate who they think best for the local government. It also gives them a chance to campaign,” she said.

NONE On whether the state would actually accept the civil society candidates who have been nominated at the forum, Penang Heritage council member Loh Lim Lin Lee ( right ) said that it would be very hard for them to say ‘No’ if the election process was successful.

Loh said there was no guarantee that the state would say yes to their candidate, but it has  to explain why he or she is rejected as the person was elected in a democratic manner.

“We are giving them a small step of the process (of democracy); there is no guarantee they would accept our candidate but it would be very difficult for them to say no,” she added.