Community activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye says a referendum would let KL residents decide on having an elected mayor, framing it as a democratic issue
PETALING JAYA: Residents of Kuala Lumpur should be given the right to decide through a referendum whether they want local government and mayoral elections, said community activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.
The former Bukit Bintang MP stressed that the issue should be viewed through the lens of democracy, accountability and better public service, not politics or race.
Lee said the proposal for an elected mayor was fundamentally about strengthening democratic participation and improving governance in the capital city, which has a population of about two million.
“The most important principle here is democracy. The people of Kuala Lumpur should be given a direct say in how their city is managed. If there is a need to determine whether the mayor should be elected or appointed, then let the people decide through a referendum,“ Lee said when contacted.
He said allowing residents to choose their mayor would enhance accountability, as an elected mayor would be directly answerable to voters rather than to the appointing authority.
“With an elected mayor, the people have a choice. They can elect someone for a four or five year term, and if that person does not perform, they can vote for someone else. That option does not exist when the mayor is appointed,” he added.
Lee said the call for an elected mayor should not be misconstrued as criticism of appointed mayors, adding that Kuala Lumpur had experienced capable leadership under the current system.
“I am not saying that an appointed mayor cannot perform or has not performed well. We have had appointed mayors who showed good performance. But the question is whether we want to improve accountability and service delivery by giving people a direct role in choosing their city’s leadership.”
He also cautioned against framing the issue along racial lines, describing such perceptions as unfounded and harmful.
“This should not be seen as a racial issue. Anyone who is qualified, capable and confident, Malay, Chinese, Indian or from any other community, should be able to stand as a candidate.
It is wrong to assume that an elected mayor would automatically come from one particular race or that any group would dominate the city,” he said.
Lee said leadership should be judged on merit, integrity and competence, rather than ethnicity or political affiliation.
“The focus must be on having the right perception, a realistic perception, and not one driven by fear, racial sentiments or political agendas,” he added.
According to Lee, an elected mayor system would strengthen transparency and improve service delivery, as the mayor would be accountable to residents on issues such as urban management, infrastructure and cleanliness.
“At the end of the day, this is about better services and better governance for the people of Kuala Lumpur. Giving residents a voice through democratic means would help ensure that the city is managed in their best interests.”
