Two days before Pakatan Harapan launches its manifesto for the 14th general election, a coalition of 30 Kuala Lumpur residents’ associations has presented its demands to several Federal Territory MPs.

Among the demands listed in the Selamatkan KL (SKL) coalition’s own manifesto are for local council elections and for the Kuala Lumpur City Plan 2020 be gazetted into law.

“Democratise our city councils – a representative local government will ensure an inclusive, participatory leadership. Citizen participation helps ensure transparent and democratic approaches.

“Gazette and enforce a local plan – planned urban development nurtures liveable and sustainable city development… (as well as) ensure government accountability and transparency,” states the SKL manifesto.

In the lead-up to the 2008 election, DAP, as part of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, had promised to push for the reintroduction of local council elections – which were abolished in 1965 – but the move stalled following disagreement from its then ally PAS.

Despite being launched in 2008 and costing taxpayers RM30 million to draft the KL Structure Plan 2020, Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor revealed last year that the plan would not be gazetted.

Power to elect local councillors

SKL chairperson Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman underlined that the above two demands were interlinked.

“We must have local council elections because this (the gazetting of the KL Structure Plan 2020) is a local government issue.

“You must give people who live in the area the right to elect their representatives,” Aziz (photo) told Malaysiakini at the manifesto handover at the Bukit Bandaraya Community Centre last night.

The other demands in the manifesto are for green spaces and public areas to be protected, as well as for effective community participation in city planning.

Harapan representatives in attendance were Batu MP Tian Chua, Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun, Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng and Wangsa Maju MP Tan Kee Kwong.

PKR communications chief Fahmi Fadzil stood in for Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah, who is overseas.

SKL clarified that it had invited all KL MPs to the manifesto handover, but Bandar Tun Razak MP Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, an independent, was unable to be present.

BN MPs Johari Abdul Ghani and Ahmad Fauzi Zahari, who oversee Titiwangsa and Setiawangsa respectively, did not reply to SKL's invitations.