Kuala lumpur: The study on the proposed elections for the Kuala Lumpur mayor post should not be turned into a polemic, as if a decision to implement it has already been made, said DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke. He stated that the study, in addition to assessing whether a mayoral election would be feasible, also evaluated its pros and cons.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Loke emphasized that this is merely a study to assess its feasibility, and there is no need for any party to turn this into a polemic. He made these remarks to reporters following a working visit to Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) today. Loke, who also serves as the Transport Minister, noted that mayoral elections are not a new concept and have been practiced in democratic countries around the world.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh previously mentioned that the study has been conducted by the International Islamic University of Malaysia since last December. This follows a private member's bill tabled by several MPs to amend the Federal Capital Act 1960 and implement governance reforms in Kuala Lumpur.
Loke further commented that Kuala Lumpur City Hall is different from other state local authorities because its mayor is appointed by the federal government. He stressed that this issue should not be seen as the agenda of any single political party, as it has been proposed by several other quarters in the past. He cited former Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who recently suggested at a forum that Kuala Lumpur should hold a mayoral election to ensure greater accountability.
Meanwhile, Loke announced that starting this month, it would be mandatory for all online ticketing agents (OTAs) to integrate QR codes into every express bus ticket sold. This initiative aims to address congestion at TBS, where passengers previously had to queue at the counter to convert their OTA tickets into QR codes.
Loke explained that with this new requirement, passengers will no longer need to exchange their tickets for a QR code when they arrive at TBS. He added that passengers who purchased bus tickets before February and do not have a QR code can still obtain one online through the official TBS portal for RM1 or at the counter.
In another development, Loke announced the relocation of the Road Transport Department's (JPJ) Bandar Sri Permaisuri branch office to TBS starting in March. He noted that the previous office location in a shop lot caused congestion as people queued for JPJ services. The new location is more user-friendly, with ample parking and convenient access by public transport.