Kuching City South Mayor Chan Seng Khai has announced his resignation which will take effect at the end of the month.

He told reporters in Kuching yesterday that he was quitting the job to concentrate on party politics. Chan lost the Batu Lintang state seat to the DAP in last month's elections. He is chairperson of the Supp Batu Lintang branch.

Chan said he submitted his resignation letter to Deputy Chief Minister and Supp president Dr George Chan at a meeting on Wednesday. ( Photo: Chan, right, and deputy mayor Mohd Amin Hassan at the press conference )

The final decision on whether to reject or accept his resignation rested with the party. The Kuching City South Mayor's post has always been held by a Supp leader, which is the second largest component party in the state Barisan Nasional.

The mayor post is renewable every two years. Chan was first appointed to the post on Feb 1, 1997, taking over from Song Swee Guan who had served for 10 years, and his present term expires only at the end of the year.

Chan, 53, said his decision to quit the mayor post had nothing to do with his failure to retain the Batu Lintang state seat. Sources, however, told malaysiakini that there has been some pressure for him to relinquish the position "as he has become a liability in the council."

Elect the mayor

Meanwhile, DAP Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen reiterated his party's call for the mayor and councillors to be elected so that they would be more accountable and responsive to the people instead of being loyal only to the party that appointed them.

Chong said that based on feedback, 90 per cent of all complaints related to the functions of local authorities and that councillors were under-performing.

Voon Lee Shan, the newly-elected state assemblyperson for Batu Lintang, expressed similar views, saying local government elections should be re-instated.

Unimas social science lecturer Dr Andrew Aeria told malaysiakini that Chan's decision was an honourable one that should be lauded.

"Local governments should be elected and his action suggests as much," he said, adding that the mayor should have an elected mandate and not otherwise.