‘Nothing controversial’: Anthony Loke defends study on KL mayoral elections
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 3 — DAP secretary Anthony Loke today defended the government’s decision to commission a study into the viability of holding elections to elect Kuala Lumpur’s mayor, describing it as “nothing controversial”.
Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh has come under fire from Malay conservatives who oppose any form of local council elections, including from leaders from party aligned with the ruling pact.
Loke, who is also a senior Cabinet minister, said Yeoh had only proposed the idea be studied, although the transport minister was seemingly supportive of the proposal, citing mayoral elections as the norm in many countries.
“What the minister proposed was just a study to see if it can be done…so there is nothing controversial about it,” the minister told reporters during a site inspection of the Bandar Tasik Selatan terminal here.
“The concept of electing a mayor is not even a new thing. Everywhere in the world many democratic countries hold mayoral elections so I don’t see this as DAP issue. In fact many parties had proposed this, including Khairy Jamaluddin,” Loke added.
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