PUTRAJAYA, 16 MARCH, 2010: Election Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said its stand on local government elections will be announced next week.

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Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof

He said the proposal by the Penang and Selangor state governments need to be studied from the constitutional and legal aspects so that a correct and acceptable decision could be made.

"The Penang Chief Minister had on March 8 written to the EC chairman urging him to call local government elections.

"Selangor's letter received yesterday was angled differently, asking EC to study the law, and what it feels about local government elections in the state," he told reporters at a dialogue session with the media here today.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said local government elections which had been abolished should not be brought back as it would not improve services provided by local governments.
 

Aziz said EC would holding a meeting and gathering feedback from various quarters on the proposal.

"EC holds on to ethics and acts based on the law. We will send a letter to the chief minister and then make the announcement, latest by next week."

He said EC is not influenced by views from the prime minister, opposition or anybody as it is an independent body.

"As an independent and professional body, we will be studying the law. The advice comes from panel members and the final decision will be an interpretation of the law."

He added there were proposals to automatically register Malaysians above 21 years as voters but they need studying as it would involve amendment to the laws and election procedures.

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