Penang-based civil society groups are holding a day-long event known as Penang Forum 3 to elect civil society nominees to serve as MPPP and MPSP councillors for 2011. It is the start of a journey towards full local government elections.
Mock Election or Mockery of Election
I just read news report from Malaysia Kini that the contestants only allowed few minutes to introduce themselves. They are not allow to campaign freely and distributing pamphlets. Those who disobey will be disqualified. Why Penang Forum 3 prohibits the contestants from campaigning and distributing pamphlet? Isn’t it important for those who want to contest to campaign openly and freely? Do we really need just to educate people on how to cast a vote? Isn’t the mock election should mimic real election and provide opportunity for all contestant to voice out their manifesto and their stand on all kind of issues? Isn’t it important for contestants to campaign freely without constraints? Why Penang Forum 3 is behaving worst than BN ? No campaign allowed! What a mockery to free and fair election !
This election exercise by the Penang Forum to elect NGO reps for Council is certainly to be applauded. But pray tell, just how long more do we have to wait before this DAP-led PR government introduces local government (LG) elections? Next year? 2012, 2015, 2020? When? Give us a time frame! Is a firm time frame so difficult for this DAP-led PR government to lay out for the people of Penang? If DAP/PR cannot even set out a simple time-frame for the introduction of LG elections, why should Penangites trust them? How different is their behaviour from that of the clearly-untrustworthy and discredited BN? All I have heard thus far from CM Lim Guan Eng and his government re. LG elections are lame excuses. This cannot, that cannot. We want to hold LG elections but BN won’t let! All plain schoolboy-level hypocritical garbage. In truth, this DAP/PR government is not committed to holding LG elections since it will mean their having to embrace genuine democratic principles and eschew old-fashioned patronage to their local DAP/PR leaders. Unfortunately, at this rate, the Penang Forum is only being led… Read more »
No way lah! Penang Forum is making fun of local election. IT does not understand the thrue meaning of election. If Penang Forum can’t understand the significant of having an election, you seriously think that LGe can understand? Penang Forum call for a mock election but no campaign allowed. What a fool!
Sunday is actually polling day inside the hall. They will be formally introduced before the polling.
Candidates may campaign outside the hall before the polling proper.
Is local agenda 21 still being implemented in MPPP?