Penang has no plans to conduct demarcation exercises

GEORGE TOWN: Penang has no plans to conduct demarcation exercises to increase the number of municipal councils in the state.

State Local Government Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said there were no such scheme by the administration.

"Increasing the number of local councils is the only way to expand the number of municipal councillors," the Penang DAP
chairman said when winding up debate of the state DAP convention today.

A delegate in his debate had earlier urged the state to enlarge the pool of municipal councillors to meet the needs of the people amid rapid development.

He had said this could be a workaround after local government elections were abolished under the Local Government Act (LGA) 1976.

Penang currently has the 23-member Penang Island Municipal Council and the 24-member Seberang Perai Municipal Council.

The two Councils were created after the five previous municipalities and districts were consolidated following the passing of the LGA.

Other issues debated and raised were the need for succession planning, the appointment of Village Safety, Security and Development (JKKK) chairmen and the need for political education.