Zuraida says local elections model can be modified
Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said the local elections model for the nation can be adjusted so as to accommodate concerns about its implementation.
"There are many aspects, we can hear out the various proposed models and then draft it to suit Malaysia," she told a press conference in Putrajaya today.
Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said the local elections model for the nation can be adjusted so as to accommodate concerns about its implementation.
"There are many aspects, we can hear out the various proposed models and then draft it to suit Malaysia," she told a press conference in Putrajaya today.
She was responding to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad who had raised concerns that local elections could lead to polarisation if voters voted along racial lines.
Mahathir said he was, therefore, not in favour of local elections which was not in the Pakatan Harapan manifesto due to a lack of consensus among the component parties.
Zuraida said she is hopeful to present a research paper on the possible models and that one could perhaps be acceptable.
"The Housing and Local Government Ministry has three years to conduct the study which will involve the communities and local councils.
"After that, we will present it to the cabinet and we will see their reaction then […] there is still a lot of time," she said.
Zuraida had yesterday stated that her ministry planned to present their findings in 2021. Local elections were suspended in 1965.
Zuraida also announced that her ministry was releasing a guideline on funding for local councils, particularly on ensuring that their overseas trips were not arbitrarily organised.
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