Loke urged all parties not to politicise the proposal to introduce an elected mayor for Kuala Lumpur.
KUALA LUMPUR: DAP secretary -general Anthony Loke has urged all parties not to politicise the proposal to introduce an elected mayor for Kuala Lumpur, stressing that it remains a feasibility study rather than a policy decision.
Loke, who is also the Transport minister, said he did not see the proposal as controversial, as it merely seeks to assess whether such a system can be implemented.
“This is merely a study — a study on the implementation of the selection or election of the mayor,” he told reporters here at Terminal Bersepadu Selatan.
He said that the concept of electing a mayor is not new, noting that many cities around the world are already conducting mayoral elections.
Loke also stressed that the proposal should not be framed as a partisan political issue.
“I see this as not a DAP issue. Many other parties have also proposed it, including Khairy Jamaluddin (Umno), who recently said at a forum that Kuala Lumpur should have an elected mayor to allow for greater public participation,” he said.
“Many Members of Parliament in Kuala Lumpur, including those from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) such as Nik Nazmi, also support efforts towards the democratisation of Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).”
Loke reiterated that DBKL is a large local authority and operates differently from local councils in other states, where city councils are appointed by state governments that are themselves elected by the people.
“However, in the case of DBKL, there is no form of election because it is appointed by the Federal Government. The mayor is appointed through the Federal Government,” he said.
Loke added that the issue should not be exaggerated, as nothing has been implemented and the proposal remains at the study stage.
“There is no need for any party to politicise the matter. This is only a study.
“The study will examine the pros and cons, as well as the advantages and disadvantages.”
Yesterday, Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh said there was no need to “fear research” into the possibility of introducing a mayoral election for the capital.
The proposal has drawn criticism from several political parties after the ministry confirmed it is conducting a feasibility study, with opponents warning it could be vulnerable to political manipulation.
