IMPLEMENTATION CONSTRAINTS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION IN MALAYSIA: A CASE STUDY OF SELANGOR

The 12th General Election has revealed drastic changes in the Malaysian political landscape, in particular the success of the opposition party (Pakatan Rakyat) in gaining control over several states in Malaysia, including Selangor. This success has enabled Pakatan Rakyat to govern at a state level, a commitment that includes fulfilling their campaign promise to return democracy at the local level before their five-year term ends. Nonetheless, the very fact of the five year's ruling demonstrates that Pakatan Rakyat had previously failed to bring back democratic local elections in Selangor, in accordance with their promise they made at the 12th General Election. With regard to this issue, this paper attempts to identify the factors that have restrained local elections from being properly revived in Malaysia, specifically Selangor. The recent election result demonstrates that a number of factors have contributed to this failure, including legal constraints, the disapproval of the Federal Government, financial issues, and the reluctance of the Election Commission to properly manage local elections in Selangor. Furthermore, this paper also argues that a lack of consensus among Pakatan Rakyat members regarding this issue has indirectly hindered the restoration of democratic local elections in Selangor.