Local polls can give rise to third force, say Barisan and Pakatan leaders

Local council elections can give rise to a third force to act as check and balance, and to provide an alternative to the emerging two-party system, said leaders from both the ruling Barisan Nasional and opposition Pakatan Rakyat.

Traditionally rejected by voters during general or by-elections, as the electorate still gravitated towards either the ruling coalition or the opposition pact, the politicians said polls at the local level would give smaller parties a chance to gain a foothold.

While it is hard for independents to secure a win at the national level, the leaders said smaller parties or individuals stood a better chance at the local level where they could champion localised issues, such as public transport, environment or animal welfare that appeal to local residents.

Their views came amid the current spat between Pakatan allies DAP and PAS over local polls, which Islamist party PAS is against.

Local government elections used to be held until they were suspended after the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation in 1964. It was never lifted and later abolished under the Local Government Act 1976.

Since then, positions in the local council have been appointed by political parties ruling the state.

The DAP-led government of Penang has tried, unsuccessfully, to restore the third vote by taking the matter to court.

But the Federal Court in August last year ruled that the state government had no jurisdiction to conduct local council polls.

Umno leader Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said local government elections could give birth to pockets of third force as different localities would have different issues that appealed to local residents.

Citing an example, he said if local polls were held in Cameron Highlands in Pahang, then a party that champions the environment would receive a lot of attention.

"Yes, it is a localised issue but at the same time, it is a universal issue. All you need is for them to win in a few places for them to group up and gain a foothold," he told The Malaysian Insider.

However, the former deputy minister was doubtful that these alternative parties could be strong enough to be a national-level third force.

Instead, he said they would most probably align themselves to the existing BN or Pakatan coalitions.

In championing his party's push for local council elections, DAP strategist Dr Ong Kian Ming said the current political structure did not allow a third force to rise up because of their inability to win seats at both parliamentary and state levels.

This was evident in the past general elections where multi-cornered fights between BN, Pakatan parties and independents ended up with the latter losing out.

However, local council elections would afford smaller parties "healthy competition", said the Serdang MP, adding that it could give birth to green party movements or issues-based parties.

"Of course, it will also see people like Isma coming up and possibly winning seats," he said, referring to the Malay rights group.

"But that is part and parcel of a maturing democratic process in Malaysia and this is why DAP is pushing hard for local elections even though Pakatan parties may lose seats to them, but that is part of the democratisation process."

Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang said unlike countries with a more mature system in place, Malaysia was still young and hence, it took time for people to accept other parties rather than the ones currently on offer.

Elections in Malaysia were more about personalities, and not so much issue-based, with the exception of some urban areas, he said, explaining why Malaysians still shy away from supporting other parties.

He said countries which held local council elections had shown that it would give opportunities for smaller-based parties to emerge and win because the expenditure and campaigning was smaller and manageable.

"I believe local polls should be implemented here and because DAP had been championing this since 2008, they should be given a chance to implement it in Penang," he said of the northern state currently administered by the secular Chinese-majority party.

He did not understand why certain quarters have protested against local council elections, saying it would enable more local community leaders to help residents and ensure accountability in local council spending and services.

"I don't see any harm in having local polls, while I cannot say if it is good or bad, we should give it a try in Penang," he added.

However, PKR strategist Sim Tze Tzin was sceptical that local council elections would give rise to a strong third force.

"Local council elections may elect a few independents but a third force is unlikely. I foresee the fight as still BN versus Pakatan.

“Our electoral system is first-past-the-post and is favourable to the two-party system, unless it is changed to proportional representative system, then we will likely have a third force like in European countries," he said, adding that it was not easy for a credible third force to emerge since most political talents were attracted to either BN or Pakatan. – February 1, 2015.