Local council elections up to federal govt, says exco

SHAH ALAM: Local council elections would be implemented in Selangor if they were restored by the federal government, according to state exco Ng Sze Han (pix).
Ng said he is awaiting a decision from the Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraidah Kamaruddin.
"The ministry has said it would likely take three years time but we are still waiting to hear from it," he said at the state assembly today.
He was responding to an additional question by Taman Templer assemblyman Mohd Sany Hamzan, who asked if Selangor would agree to hold the elections.
Banting assemblyman Lau Weng San then asked Ng, who is in charge of local government, public transportation and new village development, if the state government would initiate talks with the federal government to abolish a provision under the Local Government Act 1976.
"That is the federal government's power but we are aware that a workshop has been conducted by the Ministry where representatives from all local councils nationwide were present.
"Let's just wait for the ministry to make a decision," he added.
Zuraidah is in favour of local elections but she had told the Dewan Rakyat in the previous parliament sitting that this would only be implemented once the nation's economy and finances stabilise.
She targeted that it could be implemented after three years once studies are conducted.