KUALA LUMPUR - A proposal for Malaysia to hold local council elections in large cities has been turned into a racial issue, stoking fears that the larger representation of minorities in these areas could weaken the majority Malays' political power.
But the real issue, say analysts, is governance, and whether the multicultural parties in the current unity government can administer local councils together_ The clash involving the Chinese-led Democratic Action Party (DAP) and Malay nationalist party Umno reflects the uneasy truce between these two former arch-enemies, which are now partners in the federal government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The tensions raised by the "local elections" issue follow another recent uproar among Malay leaders when DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang voiced his hope that Malaysia would one day have a non-Malay as prime minister.
DAP Kuala Lumpur chief Tan Kok Wai on Dec 17 called for the government to reinstate local elections, starting with the capita city, to strengthen democracy and avoid political interference.
"We do not need to implement local elections nationwide, but we can start in KL, which needs to democratise the capital's administration," Mr Tan said during his division's convention, adding that such a step would ensure a check and balance by elected local representatives in the city's planning.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 28, 2023 من The Straits Times.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
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هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 28, 2023 من The Straits Times.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
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