Local Government Act 1976 (Malaysia)

Four Years Before the Storm · Treatise · 10 min read

Why Did Local Elections Disappear in Malaysia?

The government established a Royal Commission to find an answer; the commission recommended returning the ballot to the people. But in the end, it was the ballot that disappeared.

Malaysians elect their Members of Parliament and State Assemblymen, but they do not elect the local councillors who manage drains, rubbish, development planning, and assessment rates every day. Local elections were suspended in 1965 on the grounds of the Confrontation emergency. The Athi Nahappan Royal Commission later recommended its restoration, but Section 10 of the Local Government Act 1976 entrenched appointed councillors, while Section 15 caused all local election provisions to cease having effect. In 2014, Penang attempted to reopen this door, but ultimately hit that old lock at the Federal Court.