Lack of transparency, accountability, vibrancy and good governance are the main reasons behind the calls made by several political leaders and social activists to restore local government elections in Penang.

Unlike the present system, in which local municipal councillors are appointed, an elected local council would be more efficient, effective and trustworthy.

Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) Penang branch coordinator Choo Chon Kai said local government elections would give a democratic mechanism to the people to determine and control the type of local governance they want.

Since local councils have a direct impact on citizens on a daily basis, he said it was only ideal to let the people decide on who should administer their local governance.

"Ideally an elected council will have to be more accountable, transparent and responsive to meet the expectations and demands of the masses, unlike an appointed one," he added.

However, Choo said local government elections alone would not ensure good governance because such a democratic process should be supported by an increase in democratic freedom such as freedom of expression, information and assembly.

He said people at the grassroots level should be allowed to take part in the decision-making process of the local government, such as in public inquiries and hearings of local government budgets, policies and development projects.

"Local government elections and effective participation of the voters can be a strong deterrent against corruption, power abuse, bureaucratic malpractice, administrative flaws, unlike now," he added

Check and balance

Penang DAP organising secretary Danny Law Heng Kiang said an elected local council would be forced to implement policies that benefit the people as it would be vulnerable to popular mandate.

"At least there will be check and balance where the people have the right to vote and change their local government representatives, unlike now," he added.

Malaysia Hindu Darma Mamandram, Penang branch chairperson V Nandakumar said being an authority collecting public tax via the assessment rate, councils should be accountable to the people.

"Therefore, the people should have the right to elect their own local councillors," he added.

He said elections would compel councils not to rest on their laurels and give out projects tenders lavishly to political cronies.

It would compel councils to maintain a higher standard of cleanliness, traffic management and provide better basic amenities and facilities, especially to groups of special needs such as disabled persons, senior citizens, pregnant women and children.

Through local government elections, Nandakumar said residents in an area would have the chance to nominate and elect a representative from among themselves.

Under the present appointment system, 'outsiders' are chosen randomly to represent and serve a neighbourhood.

Since they are not elected, the appointed councillors hardly carry out their tasks thus neglecting the needs and demands of the neighbourhood.

"Local government elections would encourage residents in a neighbourhood to check the performance of their respective councillors," said Nandakumar.

Historical significance

Historically, Penang has a significant role in local government elections. The country's first local government election took place in George Town in 1857 under the British colonial masters.

However, due to poor response, the colonial masters shelved the election until 1951 when George Town had the first official election for councillors.

A total of 24 candidates contested. Nine of the 15 councillors for the then George Town City Council were elected, while the rest were appointed.

In the election, the Radical Party won six seats, the Labour Party and Umno took one each while an Independent secured the other.

Five years later, the city had its fully elected council. D S Ramanathan of the Labour Party became George Town and the country's first elected city mayor.

In 1959, Kuala Lumpur emulated George Town by holding its first local government election, in which 12 out of 18 candidates were elected as councillors.

An Umno-MCA partnership won nine seats while the Independent Malaya Party won two. There was also an Independent victor.

The resounding Umno-MCA victory paved the path for future collaboration of the two parties in the country, which led to the formation of the Alliance and the then all-powerful Barisan Nasional (BN).

The council elections were being carried out throughout the country until 1965 when that it was suspended due to the Indonesian Confrontation.

Although a three-man commission headed by Senator Athi Nahappan recommended to the government 40 years ago to restore local government elections, the suspension was never lifted and it was finally banished through the Local Government Act 1976.

Councils abused

Since then, the ruling BN coalition uses the local councils to appoint members of its component parties as councillors. In recent years, BN has appointed high-ranking public service officials as council presidents instead of politicians.

A check on Penang Island Municipal (MPPP) and Seberang Perai Municipal (MPSP) Councils for instance revealed that BN has misused the council appointments over the years to comfort local coalition leaders who had not been selected to contest a state or parliamentary seat in the general election.

Umno, Gerakan, MCA and MIC have also used the appointment platform to 'train' future candidates for state and parliamentary elections.

Many of the politically appointed councillors, on other hand, have used their positions to enhance their chances to contest in general elections and get into the good books of their party bosses.

Save Ourselves (SOS) secretary Ong Beng Keong said appointed councillors have been working in favour of those who manipulate the system and flout the laws.

For instance, elected state assemblypersons or members of Parliament would interfere and persuade the councils from taking further action on illegal roadside stalls, whose owners had been issued evacuation notices.

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"This is the main reason behind the mushrooming of illegal eateries throughout George Town, which has been causing traffic havoc and flithy drains," said Ong.

Although an elected municipal council would not necessarily provide good governance, former councillor Dr Goh Ban Lee said an elected local authority would be answerable to the people for its wrong doings.

"Since councils collect tax from the people, it's only ideal that the ratepayers were given their rights and freedom to chose their local representatives," he added.

ATHI VEERANGGAN is malaysiakini's Penang-based stringer.