AN indigenous Sarawak association is calling for an end to the current practice where the ruling state government monopolises the posts of mayors, municipal council heads, district council chiefs, and local councillors.
Sarawak Dayak-Iban Association (Sadia) secretary-general Nicholas Mujah said this unhealthy monopoly in Sarawak must be replaced by an open, democratic system allowing the public to vote for their preferred candidates for these positions. Mujah expressed support for the call by leaders of Sarawak DAP and Sarawak United Peoples Party for open public elections for local council government in Sarawak.
“It is indeed high time for the democratic process of public elections to be implemented at every local council in Sarawak. The public have the democratic right to elect who they want into the councils instead of ruling political parties deciding who to appoint. These democratic reforms must start in Sarawak,” he said in Kuching recently.
The Gabungan Parti Sarawak state government and the Election Commission have been urged to use Sarawak as the first state to hold public balloting for local council elections to elect mayors, district council chairmen, and other councillors. Sarawak DAP and Sarawak United Peoples Party (SUPP) both agree that Sarawak should try out local council elections ahead of the state elections, which are only two years away in 2026.
Sarawak DAP youth chairman Dr Kelvin Yii and SUPP central leader Senator Robert Lau both believe that Sarawak can pioneer the elections of city councils, municipal councils, and rural district councils. They voiced their agreement with civil society group Rise of Sarawak Efforts (ROSE) coordinator Geoffrey Tang during a public forum on election issues in Kuching on July 15.
“Sarawak and Sabah have existing state laws that allow the two states the freedom to carry out public voting for local council posts. The EC can oversee the balloting and counting, similar to the process of public polling for state and parliamentary seats. Sarawak can lead the way to hold these local council elections since the next state election is due by 2026,” said Dr Yii, who is the Bandar Kuching MP.
Senator Lau of Sibu town suggested that local council elections be trialled in Sarawak's cities and towns first before extending them to rural districts. “Sarawak is too large, and holding statewide public elections all at once would present significant logistical challenges. It should be trialled in cities like Kuching and Miri and large towns like Bintulu, Sibu, and Serian first,” he said.
Lau also recommended tabling a motion on local council elections in the Dewan Rakyat for parliamentary debate.
ROSE is currently conducting a statewide roadshow to raise public awareness on issues such as electoral boundaries, automatic voting rights for all aged 18 and above, and other relevant topics. The next state elections are due by June 2026. – August 4, 2024.
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