Penang lawmaker urges state to push federal vote on local elections

Gooi Hsiao Leung, a state assemblyman in Penang, has urged the state government to take proactive steps in advancing the local elections agenda at the federal level. Gooi called for the Penang administration to prepare and submit a comprehensive policy memorandum to the federal government outlining the framework for proposed legislative amendments needed to facilitate local government elections. The move represents an attempt to accelerate progress on an issue that has remained pending for years despite repeated calls from various quarters for implementation. Local government elections have not been held in Malaysia since 1965, with the practice abolished under the Mahathir administration. Gooi's intervention suggests growing frustration within state-level political circles over the slow pace of federal action on the matter, with advocates arguing that restored local elections are essential for improved governance and greater democratic participation at the grassroots level.