GEORGE TOWN – The Penang government has received a stream of applications for councillor positions reserved for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the state’s two city councils for next year.
Describing the response as good, state Housing, Town, Country Planning and Local Government Committee executive councillor Jagdeep Singh Deo said among the 62 applications, 53 are from NGOs, one from a private company and one from an individual.
Over the last few years, these councillors were generally appointed from the Penang Forum – an umbrella group of local NGOs – and the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce.
Jagdeep said a new method of selecting councillors from different NGOs has been adopted for next year in both the Penang Island and Seberang Prai City Councils.
“The current term for councillors will end at the end of this year, and we need to make appointments for new members next year.”
He said the process will involve councillors from political parties in Pakatan Harapan (PH), with their own quotas, as has been the practice.
“We will make the choices next week and the announcement will be made in the first week of January.
“Under the Local Government Act 1976, all cities must have a mayor, and there must be no more than 24 councillors at any one time,” he said.
Applications for nominations had closed on December 15.
Lim Mah Hui, who was councillor of Penang Island City Council and its precursor Penang Island Municipal Council from 2011 to 2016, told The Vibes that out of the 24 councillors in each council, 90% are still political appointees.
He noted that of the two councillors filling the two-seat quota for NGOs in each council, one is from a business-interest group.
Lim expressed concern that most of the time they are beholden to their political masters.
He said it was important to ensure there is local participation by the public, which is lacking.
“Now the public who come in can only watch the proceedings of the community council.
“Council members must get permission from the mayor at least a day before to speak for five minutes.
“There is no participation from the public. No debates or discussions are allowed among councillors. I would like for there to be local participation because that is the essence of democracy,” he said.
Penang Forum spokesman Khoo Salma Nasution said local government elections should ideally be conducted instead.
“It is good for us to be in touch with what is happening in the council, to raise selected issues and to contribute in whatever way we can.
“Each council member is only in several permanent committees and subcommittees, not all,” she noted.
Some NGO members, who declined to be named, questioned whether the decision to open applications to all NGOs is just a way to pick a representative who will support the government’s agenda. – The Vibes, December 20, 2020
