LOCAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS

I found this interesting article in 'The Star' yesterday :
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Coming unstuck over council polls      Comment by BARADAN KUPPUSAMY

Will Pakatan Rakyat’s failure to introduce local council elections as promised during the 2008 general election be the start of it becoming distanced from those who brought it into power?

THE Pakatan Rakyat has made some of its most ardent supporters mad by reneging on its promises to hold elections for local councils………….Local council election are called the third vote after the first for Parliament, and the second for States assemblies…………..Local elections were widely held in the 1960s and were mostly won by the opposition.

However, state governments were won by the Alliance/Barisan Nasional coalition — a situation that provided for an admirable check and balance and maximum returns for the ratepayer.Related state laws which all allowed for local councillors to be appointed and not elected. Although a Royal Commission headed by Datuk Athi Nahappan later recommended in 1968 the return of local elections,this recommendation was not taken up

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Ah, those were the days when we had local council elections. I remember when I was very young - in the 60s when my village held its elections for councillors. Dad was always a member of the local council - often with no challenger. That year, some younger blood decided that he was too long in the chair and decided to mount a challenge to his post

There was fever of excitement in the village. There was a bit of campaigning after the papers were filed. I observed the 'young turks' going about from house to house to campaign and I was worried ( even though I was only 7 years old then). Dad was not doing anything. He just went about his usual business and sometimes to the local coffee shop.

One evening some 'supporters' came to the house and told dad : "They are bad-mouthing you..... aren't you going to answer them?" It seems the 'opposition' had been spreading smear campaign that dad was corrupt, that he had privately benefited for helping people to get their IC. The word was dad got a commission from the government for each IC made.

Anyway, dad just replied : " No need to answer those rumours. The truth will eventually come out whether I am corrupt or not."

I whispered to mum : "Why doesn't dad speak up against those lies?" The answer was typical : "Children should not interfere with adult's business. And keep out of those campaigns!" Huh!! Wild horses could not even drag me away from those campaigns.

The day of election loomed. I hung around the registration booth and watched the proceedings. The villagers came out in droves - all dressed in their Sunday best. There was an air of carnival. Many waved to dad and he smiled at them. Many of the older folks came to the counter and declared : "I only want to vote tor Lim Kheng Siang." "I only want Lim to be in the 'Cheng Hu' ( meaning the government)". Although the 'young turks' tried to persuade them to change their minds, but they were adamant.

Finally it was time to close the booths and the ballot boxes were brought to the local council building (pic above). A huge crowd gathered outside the building as the counting of the ballot papers began. I could hear the names of the candidates being called out each time a ballot paper was opened. Finally, the names of the winners were declared. Dad won! Plus a Malay guy named Hussein. There was a roar of approval and everybody clapped their hands. I saw the crowd lifted dad and the Hussein chap up and carried them on their shoulders - a mini parade in the hall. I felt so proud that night.