KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 — Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming said the country’s economic revival was at the forefront of people’s minds, not local government elections.

The Malaysian Insight (TMI) reported Nga as saying he had reached this conclusion based on recent feedback, before adding that the government has more pressing issues to tackle, despite recognising that the power to elect local government representatives is part of the democratic process.

"We have to improve people’s lives first. That’s the government’s focus right now. Frankly, I want to have local government elections, but that’s not what the people want.

"What the people want comes first. Mine is second,” Nga was quoted as saying.

He said if the people’s problems are not addressed first, local government elections would be pointless and risky.

Nga said such polls must take a backseat until the government has managed to revive the economy and alleviate people’s burden.

TMI reported that in just 40 days out of the minister’s 100-day plan, seven key "new deal” targets have already been met, exceeded, or are on track to achieve.

His ‘report card’ showed that the ministry has managed to close 68 out of 100 illegal landfills.

Other targets previously set were to complete 4,713 affordable homes, open 100 new hawker centres, replace and upgrade 12 elevators at the Kota Damansara People’s Housing Project (PPR) flats and begin operations in the country’s first Waste to Energy (WtE) treatment plant in Port Dickson to reduce solid waste disposed to landfills by 90 per cent.

Two other targets were to upgrade and improve infrastructure at two traditional food markets in Kota Baru, Kelantan, and Ipoh, Perak and build four fire stations in Kuala Lumpur, Perak, and Sarawak.