Lim asks for meeting with Najib
GEORGE TOWN (March 14, 2010): The Penang government has written to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak asking for a meeting to explain its stand and intention to hold local government elections.
The letter, signed by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, was sent yesterday following Najib’s announcement that such elections were unnecessary.
In the letter, which was made available to the press today, Lim pointed out that 101 of the 192 countries in the United Nations currently observed local government elections, proving that it was an important international trend.
The Penang executive council had, at its meeting on March 3, decided to hold elections for councillors in the Penang Island and Seberang Perai municipal councils (MPPP and MPSP).
Lim then wrote to Elections Commission (EC) chief Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof, asking the EC to run the elections in the two councils.
Najib, however, said local government elections were abolished a long time ago (in 1965), and would only place emphasis on politicking at the local government level and affect the efficiency of councillors.
In his letter to Najib, Lim pointed out under section 113(4) of the Federal Constitution, the state government can authorise the EC to administer elections aside from the general elections.
He said it is proven that a democratic practice at the grassroots level can result in administrations that are efficient, accountable and transparent.
He said he was keen to meet the prime minister to clarify Penang’s stand on the matter.
theSun - by Himanshu Bhatt – 14 March, 2010
http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=44312
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