JOHOR BARU, July 12 — The Johor government intends to empower municipal councillors with decision and policy making powers in preparation for local council elections, a state executive councillor said today.
Johor Local Government, Science and Technology Committee chairman Tan Hong Pin said the plan was part of major changes in-line with the reform agenda at the local government level and towards planned local council elections.
“The plan to empower municipal councillors for decision or policy making should be implemented in such a manner to avoid duplication of roles between them and the state assemblyman.
“The boundary of their roles should be clear between the two,” he said in a 10-point media statement here today.
Tan, who is also the Skudai assemblyman, said that this plan was also part of the reform agenda and a step forward towards making local council elections a reality.
“As our previous discussions with the Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin, Johor’s local council elections is only expected to be implemented after obtaining direction from the federal government,” he said.
Last week, Zuraida indicated that local council elections could be restored within three years.
Local council elections, popularly known as the third vote, were last held in Malaysia back in 1963.
The elections scheduled to be held in 1964 and 1965 were suspended because of Indonesia’s confrontation with Malaysia.
In 1976, local elections were scrapped when Parliament passed the Local Government Act which only provided for appointed councillors to fill the posts.
Since the May 9 general elections, after the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government took control, many political parties and non-governmental organisations have said that it was now feasible to restore local council elections.
