Essay preview
The Problem with Local Government
Much has been said about the issue of local government elections. Proponents have weighed in with their arguments, quoting history, democracy, how things are run in foreign countries, reduction of corruption and better governance as their main points. Opponents have weighed in with their own version of, well, history; it’s perceived high costs to run, additional layering of the administration and further burden to the system as theirs. Then there’s PAS’s seemingly illogical argument. PAS, it appears, quick to learn in UMNO’s footsteps, now sees fit to add God, King, religion or race into every other argument they employ. And you can longer constructively discuss any of the four aforementioned topics in this country. At least not without without risking severe political backlash, a demonstration by three of four overnight-registered NGOs, a dozen or so police reports and a huge, massive online campaign complete with death threats, calls for your deportation, and insults against everyone from your mother to your pet iguana leveled against you. In the case of local government, PAS has again raised the specter of May 13th.Of all the specters in the Malaysian political spectrum, May 13th would easily rank the national favourite. Everyone uses it to illustrate almost any point. Oh, beware the requests for this thing called democracy- it could lead to a May 13th! Oh, beware of women’s rights- it could lead to May 13th! Don’t allow the homosexuals to do an art show, that could lead to May 13th! No one seems to like bringing up the Japanese, or the British or the Spaniards or the Communists -at least not the Russian or the Chinese communists. But of course not, we’re only afraid of ‘Communists’ from Gelang Patah or Bagan. No one ever goes, hey, stop watching anime, the Japanese would steal our bicycles again! Or, don’t shop at Marks and Spencer’s , or the British wou...