PPP wants wayward local governments across Malaysia to be put under direct federal government influence so that they can be used to ensure support for the ruling coalition.

m kayveas "It is as if they are in their own territory without respect to the direct aspirations of the central government," said party president M Kayveas ( left ) in his welcome speech to the party's 58th AGM in Kuala Lumpur today.

He argued that the federal government must approach all local authorities, including city halls, in order to ensure the that they follow federal aspirations.

"We cannot allow any government agencies(including local governments) to come under the control of, or be influenced by anyone else other than the federal government," he warned the 2,500 delegates in attendance.

He stated that because many local authorities have strayed from federal influence and many seem to have developed an anti-federal government attitude.

He zeroed in on the federal territories, where the BN had lost nine out of eleven parliamentary seats, where such influence over the local governments may be put to good use.

‘Chinese voters sending a message'

In the same speech Kayveas also said the loss of Chinese support that the ruling coalition has suffered is just the community sending a message to the BN that the party had not yet lived up to the expectations of the Chinese.

However, he believed that the Chinese are realistic people who are mature in arranging their moves on the political chess board.

As such he proposed that BN to be more open in dealing with the wants of the Chinese community

The PPP president also pledged the support of the Chinese which makes up 30 percent of party members behind BN.