(Malacca, Saturday): The people of Paya Menkuang are very dissatisfied with the village headman, but as he is appointed and not elected, he could afford to treat the views of the villagers in contempt and to defy their wishes.
This is one of the greatest vices of the appointive system of local government, and DAP calls for the restoration of local government elections as an important step towards democratisation and good governance in the country.
There can be no proper accountability and transparency when the local government councillors, whether at Municipal or district council levels, are not directly answerable to the ratepayers through regular elections
Periodic elections to the Municipal and district councils would also be one means to expose and check malpractices and corruption at local government level.
The villagers in Paya Menkuang have also expressed dissatisfaction at the award of state honours to various local personalities, as they do not believe they are entitled to such state awards.
The award of state awards and honours have been a long-running scandal, as many people with dubious backgrounds and who have made no discernable contribution to society have been beneficiaries of such awards.
Let there be a full inquiry into the award of state honours to investigate into the gross abuses of such awards and draw up guidelines to ensure that state awards and honours are not treated with public ridicule and contempt because such abuses.
(20/6/98)