IT is a truism that if there is a will there is a way. For the first time in the history of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, women were given the right to vote and 17 have been elected councillors of the municipal government in Jeddah.
In a sense, Malaysia is not as advanced as, of all places, Saudi Arabia, in terms of grassroots democracy. For we do not have local government elections.
Just a minute, Malaya used to have them (1951 to 1965) and though the Athi Nahappan Report on Local Government elections recommended their continuance, the politicians, the Tunku included, did not restore the elections after the end of Confrontation with Indonesia. That Confrontation was cited as the main reason for the suspension of local government elections.
Two steps backwards
Sarawak is different. Before we became part of the federation of Malaysia, the local authorities had been well established as far back as 1948. Two women, Mrs Kong and Madam Barbara Bay were elected as councillors of the Kuching Municipal Council. And the first government under Stephen Kalong Ningkan was formed through the electoral process called the three-tier system or electoral colleges.
But by our own naivety and conniving with the federal leaders at the material time, we killed the grassroots democracy which we had inherited from the British. When Malaysia was being discussed in 1962, Sarawak leaders demanded the retention of Local Government as one of the safeguards and conditions of merger, and got it. If the early Sarawak Malaysians could know how we have squandered their legacy they would turn in their graves!
A clue
I have been searching for an answer as to why we had to abolish local government elections in the 1980s. Not until early this year did I begin to find a clue, not from local sources but from reading several public statements made by prominent political leaders in response to DAP’s move to revive local authority elections in Penang.
Umno and PAS are dead against the revival of local government elections. They have their fear and reasons.
Let’s hear them out. Based on media reports on Jan 29 this year, Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan had warned that “Public will pay dearly if local governments are elected”.
He elaborated, “People will have to pay more local taxes because an elected government would have to find ways to generate revenue to sustain its autonomous administration.”
He continued, “The federal government now provides an annual allocation of between RM250 million and RM300 million to the local governments. But if the local governments are established through the electoral process, the federal government would no longer be obligated to inject funds into their coffers…Under a full-fledged local governance, the people might find themselves subjected to increased assessment rates, quit rents, and parking fees, among others, as an elected authority would have to be financially strong. An elected local authority should also take charge of security, healthcare services and education in areas that are within their jurisdiction. They can’t rely on the federal-controlled police to provide security. In the United States, for example, the counties rely on sheriffs.”
He continued, “The DAP should stop misleading the public into thinking that an elected local government would be more efficient.
“The people would be the losers if the state and local governments were controlled by opposing parties, with each taking a different approach to development and problem-solving.
“In some countries, where local authorities are elected, the federal government, the federal or state government was not able to to step in immediately to assist victims of natural calamities because of the existence of boundaries of jurisdiction. In such countries, the federal government must first declare a state of emergency before it can render assistance to the areas under elected local government control.”
This parting shot is it: the fear of losing power at the grassroots level. This makes us move one step forward but two steps backwards.
Both strong men of PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and Datuk Dr Haron warned of dire consequences to the country and political harmony if DAP insisted on local government elections in Penang.
The political future of Umno and PAS seems to matter most. But what about the future of Sarawakians – do they not matter as much?
Sarawak’s legislators have been talking about reviewing the Malaysia Agreement 1963. One little step, at talking level. We hope the reviewers will consider, inter alia, the reintroduction of the local government elections.
I notice that the ruling parties in the state have not made any public comment on this subject – audible silence indeed. Is it because they are scared of losing the elections at the grassroots level? Perhaps, from their point of view, the present arrangement works perfectly for them. So for them, why the necessity for a change? I understand.
However, my feeling is that sooner or later, there will come a time when people here will demand better services to the community from elected councillors. So why don’t we get prepared for that day – back to where we left off?
We must not be discouraged by the objections from the politicians in Peninsular Malaysia. For fear of losing political power at local government level there, Selangor and Penang are not allowed to hold local government elections, but do we in Sarawak have to toe the Umno-PAS line when we have the legitimate right to restore the elections? Not having the will is lain ceritalah (another matter altogether).
And when it comes to the RM250 million allocation the federal government makes to local authorities, why should this be stopped if the authorities are not appointed but elected? I simply can’t see the difference – unless this allocation is seen to be, and used as, a political tool to manipulate municipalities and district councils.
We have been talking about state rights. Local government together with its elections is our right. It is a state subject as far as legislative lists go. If it is the fear of losing power to the opposition at the grassroots level, why bother to allow political parties to exist at all?
I had almost given up writing about LGE until I was distracted by the historical elections of the women of Jeddah to political office.
I hope our state politicians other than those from DAP will show more interest in local government elections in the coming year. What about making it an issue during the campaign? For the campaigner who advocates local government elections, one vote is assured: mine.
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