KL MPs mull revival of local polls to strengthen city democracy

• “The city has a budget of about RM3 billion—larger than Johor’s and close to Selangor’s—yet residents currently have no direct voice in the governance of Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).”

KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 26): Seven government backbenchers representing parliamentary constituencies in Kuala Lumpur are mulling the revival of local government elections in the capital in a bid to strengthen representation and democracy at the city governance level.

The call comes after the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) urged the government to overhaul Kuala Lumpur’s land development system, citing serious issues including unchecked approvals, ignored public objections, and the sale of public land below market value.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, the Member of Parliament for Setiawangsa from Pakatan Harapan (PH), said the city’s residents deserve a greater say in how Kuala Lumpur is governed.

“The city has a budget of about RM3 billion—larger than Johor’s and close to Selangor’s—yet residents currently have no direct voice in the governance of Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL),” he said.

Nik Nazmi added that the PH manifesto for the 15th General Election in 2022 committed to working towards representative democracy in Kuala Lumpur, and the PAC report should serve as a starting point for reforms in the capital.

The joint statement was also backed by six MPs: Teresa Kok (PH-Seputeh), Fong Kui Lun (PH-Bukit Bintang), Tan Kok Wai (PH-Cheras), Lim Lip Eng (PH-Kepong), Zahir Hassan (PH-Wangsa Maju) and Prabakaran Parameswaran (PH-Batu).

Local government elections were once part of Malaysia’s democratic system, allowing ratepayers to elect councillors to municipal and town councils. However, they were abolished after Parliament passed the Local Government Act in 1976, replacing elected representatives with councillors appointed by state governments.

However, as a federal territory, Kuala Lumpur does not have local councillors and is administered directly by the federal government through DBKL. While the Federal Territory Advisory Board was established under the Federal Capital Act 1960, the PAC in its latest report noted that its role remains very limited.

On Tuesday, Nik Nazmi said the lawmakers supported PAC’s recommendations, including setting up a permanent land oversight committee with Federal Territory MPs, and returning control of the land working committee to the federal territories minister for greater accountability.

He also urged the government to expedite reviews and amendments to the Federal Capital Act 1960 and the Federal Territory Planning Act 1982.

Nik Nazmi added that problems highlighted in the PAC report — such as the sale of retention ponds, uncontrolled development and the loss of green spaces — could have been avoided if city residents were given a role in DBKL’s decision-making.

As Penang girds itself towards the last lap of its Penang2030 vision, check out how the residential segment is keeping pace in EdgeProp’s special report: PENANG Investing Towards 2030.