GEORGE TOWN: Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) is disappointed with the snub by DAP councilors from Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) on its signature campaign to restore the local government elections in the country.
PSM had organised the campaign in collaboration with several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to gain support among local councillors in Penang to restore the third vote process, which had been stalled since the Indonesian Confrontation.
Yesterday at MPPP Town Hall in Esplanade, all 10 MPPP councillors from DAP, led by their whip Harvinder Singh, refused to sign PSM’s letter of pledge to support the campaign to restore the third vote.
PSM central committee member, Choo Chon Kai, who organised the signature campaign was taken aback by the DAP snub.
He said when contacted, Harvinder has cited to him that the pending decision of Penang’s local government election petition in the Federal Court as the main reason.
Chon Kai said PSM thought the DAP would back the campaign, which was to compliment and support the Penang government’s efforts to restore public elections for local councils.
Moreover, DAP has been in the forefront of a nationwide campaign to restore local government elections for years.
Chon Kai also pointed out that councillors from DAP’s allies in Pakatan Rakyat – PKR and PAS, and NGOs, had signed the letter of pledge willingly.
Indeed, eight out of 10 DAP councillors from Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) had signed the letter when the campaign was held outside the council building last Friday.
“We are absolutely disappointed with DAP’s snub.
“We find the reason given by Harvinder was ridiculous,” Chon Kai told FMT here today.
‘Support us first’
When contacted Harvinder told FMT that he decided to withhold support because PSM and the NGOs never showed their support to the Pakatan state government on the issue.
He said these groups never appeared to show their support to DAP-led state government’s legal case, press conferences and peaceful demonstrations held, or when billboards were erected for the purpose.
He said DAP’s MPPP councillors concurred with his stand and collectively decided not to sign the letter of pledge.
“My stand is clear. If the groups want us to support, they should show support to our campaign and court case.
“They should come to Federal Court to show their support publicly.
“Our councillors were united with the stand,” said Harvinder.
The NGOs involved in the signature campaign were Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (Jerit), Suaram, Northern Green Youth (NGY), Rumah Ganti Rumah Selesa (Ragas) and Aliran.
In total the signature campaign has gained support from 20 out of 48 municipal councillors, comprising 14 from MPSP and six from MPPP.
Apart from DAP’s eight, nine councillors from PKR, one PAS and two NGOs signed the letter of pledge.
DAP has 10 councillors each in MPPP and MPSP, while PKR has eight and nine, PAS two each and NGOs four and three each.
Chon Kai said the letter of pledge was part of the overall campaign to pressure both the federal and state governments to hold local council elections.
He said the campaign would pressure the Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government to lift the ban on local elections under the Local Government Act 1976.
He said the campaign was also to pressure Pakatan state government to be more pro-active and productive to organise public elections to elect councillors.
He said the state government can mobilise civil servants under state agencies, members of NGOs and other community groups to conduct the polls and appoint councillors in accordance to the 1976 Act based on polls results.
“Pakatan has pledged to restore third vote. It should conduct the polls,” said Chon Kai.
FMT
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