Kuala lumpur: Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming has urged all parties to be patient and wait for the study report by the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) on the implementation of mayoral elections in Kuala Lumpur. Nga emphasized the importance of allowing the scholars and experts at IIUM to complete their comprehensive assessment before any decisions are made.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the matter had been entrusted to IIUM, as announced by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh. Once the study is completed, it will be presented to the Cabinet for discussion to determine the best approach. Nga also highlighted that mayoral elections are not a new concept in Malaysia, as they were held before the Malaysia-Indonesia Confrontation.

Nga noted that local government elections have a historical precedent in the country, though many have forgotten this aspect of national history. He urged the public to consider examples from neighboring countries, such as Bangkok and Jakarta, where mayoral elections are practiced. He cited London as a city where the electorate chose Sadiq Khan based on performance rather than religious identity, emphasizing that the ability to perform should be the primary criterion for election.

Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil expressed confidence in IIUM's capability and credibility to conduct academic studies on the feasibility of local authority (PBT) elections and the appointment of the Kuala Lumpur mayor. On February 3, Hannah Yeoh mentioned that the feasibility study on holding local authority elections in the capital had been ongoing since the previous Federal Territories administration.