GEORGE TOWN: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng wants to meet Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to explain why the state government wants to restore local government elections.

He disagreed with Najib's statement that there was no need for local government elections as they would heighten politicking.

"If he has the time to meet me, I am willing to explain our stand on this," Lim said at a press conference here today. "This is an accepted practice worldwide. Out of 192 countries, the third vote is practised in 101 countries."

"If they can do this even in Africa, why can't we do the same here?" he asked.

"Even if it has not been carried out for the past 45 years, the excuse given by the Election Commission (EC) that it has no experience in holding local government elections and hence is not sure about it, is insane.

"Don't use such lame and shallow excuses. This matter should be addressed in a mature manner," Lim said.

"Perhaps the EC can look to the other countries which have been carrying out local government elections for years for advice.

"We should give the people back their third vote," Lim said.

Lim said contrary to Najib's belief that it would lead to politicking, local government elections would force municipal councillors to work harder for the people as their survival would no longer be via political appointments but through elections by the people.

He said the comments by Najib also indicated that the federal government had no political will to see through local government elections.

"Truly, this is a test of the EC's independence; whether they are independent as they claim to be, or they are just tools of the Barisan Nasional government," said Lim, who is DAP secretary-general.

Najib had commented on the request made by the Penang state government last week for the EC to conduct elections at local government level, saying the elections would not guarantee that local authorities would provide better service to the people.

Recently, the Penang state executive council had unanimously agreed for local elections to be held and a letter was sent to EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof to initiate the process.

The request was made pursuant to Article 113 (4) of the Federal Constitution, which provides for federal and state laws to authorise the EC to conduct elections other than that for parliament or state assemblies.

Local government elections were last held in Penang 45 years ago.