KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 — The DAP’s Federal Territories (FT) chapter has called on the government to reform governance within Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) by allowing the appointment of councillors, a system currently mandated in all 14 states.
The appointment of councillors was among the key resolutions passed by the party’s FT chapter this afternoon, with chairman Tan Kok Wai saying it would serve as a first step towards broader reforms aimed at eventually restoring the third vote.
“We are working with the Pakatan leadership and the government to implement the system whereby councillors are appointed, similar to what is practised by the states, and this will act as a stepping stone to restore local council elections,” said FT DAP chairman Tan Kok Wai in his opening address at the party’s convention here today.
Currently, DBKL is governed by a board led by a mayor. While states operate under the Local Government Act, DBKL is regulated by the Federal Capital Act 1960, also known as Act 190.
Tan said the appointment of councillors would act as a precursor to broader reforms, with the eventual goal of restoring the third vote.
Pakatan Harapan (PH), which controls 10 of Kuala Lumpur’s 13 parliamentary seats, equally split between DAP and PKR, previously pledged to bring back local council elections when it first took federal power in 2018.
However, the coalition later abandoned the promise, citing a lack of support.
The coalition would have required two-thirds support in Parliament to reintroduce the local council elections.
DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke, who opened the party’s FT chapter convention here, called the proposition to adopt the appointment system for DBKL “sound” and that he would try to convince his Cabinet colleagues to be open to it.
Still, the transport minister said he expects there will be some pushback. Umno, now a member of the so-called unity government led by PH's chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, has long opposed local council elections, which it abolished during its six-decade rule.
“I think the proposal is a very sound proposal by taking a progressive approach. While we understand the political sentiment and reality of wanting to have local government elections, of course there will be pushback by a lot of forces,” Loke said at a press conference after the convention.
“But I think what was proposed by the FT DAP was reform by first having more appointed councillors in DBKL. Right now it's only a board of advisers, not even councillors,” he added.
