KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 5 — Perikatan Nasional federal lawmakers today dismissed a study that found over half of Malays in the capital city support mayoral elections, describing it as “just one study” while insisting their view that ethnic Bumiputera oppose local polls is factual.
Local council elections, once an election promise by Pakatan Harapan that was later scrapped, are again at the centre of public debate after De facto Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh said the government had commissioned a study into opening up Kuala Lumpur’s mayoral post for contest.
Two weeks ago, Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (PKR) revealed the findings of a poll conducted by pollster Invoke, which showed 51 per cent of Malays surveyed backed the idea.
Opposition chief whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said at a press conference in Parliament here that he believed “overall” Malays remain resistant to the idea of opening up the mayoral post for contest, although he did not provide data to substantiate his claim.
“That is just one study. There may be different studies that would have different outcomes. But overall, we don’t have to be hypocrites lah — if we ask the majority of Malays, they will say they don’t want mayoral elections,” the Kota Bharu MP asserted.
