SUNGAI SIPUT (Feb 7) — The government has called for patience as an academic study examining the feasibility of holding mayoral elections in Kuala Lumpur is being completed by the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).
Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming said the evaluation was commissioned to ensure that any decision on local authority elections is supported by thorough research and expert analysis. Once the report is finalised, its findings will be submitted to the Cabinet for consideration before any policy direction is determined.
Nga noted that the concept of electing local leaders is not new in Malaysia, pointing out that local government elections were practised in the past, even before the Malaysia–Indonesia Confrontation period. He added that such systems continue to operate in major regional cities, citing Bangkok and Jakarta as examples where residents directly elect their city leaders.
He also highlighted international precedents, saying that leadership selection in cities like London is typically based on performance and governance capability rather than background or identity, stressing that effective delivery and service should remain the key criteria.
Earlier, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said IIUM has the academic expertise and credibility to carry out a detailed assessment of local authority elections, including the process of appointing or electing the Kuala Lumpur mayor. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh had previously confirmed that feasibility studies on this issue had already been initiated during the previous administration.
For property investors and businesses, governance structures in major cities can influence long-term urban planning, infrastructure delivery and regulatory frameworks. In Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley, policy decisions affecting zoning, transport connectivity and municipal planning often shape demand for commercial property in KL, office space in Bukit Jalil, and development opportunities involving industrial land in Selangor, factories in Puchong, and industrial property in the Subang area.
As discussions on local governance continue, stakeholders in the real estate and business communities are likely to monitor how future policy directions could impact planning processes, approvals and investment confidence in Malaysia’s key economic centres.
China