Bersih has urged the government to consult with all stakeholders, including NGOs, before it implements local government elections.

In a statement today, the electoral reform group said the Pakatan Harapan government should not repeat the previous BN administration’s mistake of having the state government choose local councillors.

"Bersih welcomes the statement by Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin, regarding introducing local government-level elections within three years, whereby towns and cities may elect their mayors or the presidents of the local councils.

"We commend the minister for moving this important public agenda of restoring the local government elections. It is long overdue," said the statement.

Zuraida announced last month that the government will start holding local elections once the country's economy is stabilised, and said her ministry would study the matter in six months’ time.

Reinstating local elections, which were last held in the country in 1964, was one of Harapan’s election pledges.

According to Bersih, the appointment of local councillors by state governments since 1976 is a subversion of the three-tiered model of government.

The current system, said the group, deprives the people of the right to choose different parties for their state and local governments, which concentrates power in the hands of the governing party at the state level.

"This perpetuated massive political patronage and corruption for decades with no accountability to the public as they only answered to the political masters that appointed them.

"The current government should display its political commitment to strengthening local democracy in the country by returning the third vote to the people," said Bersih.