LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS (Statement by the Minister for Local Government, Lands and Housing)

10.32 a.m.

The Minister for Local Government, Lands and Housing (Inche Abdul Hamid Bin Haji Jumat): Mr Speaker, Sir, I have a statement to make on local government elections. I think hon. Members of this House will be interested to know what progress has been made towards holding local government elections. According to the envisaged programme, the intention is to hold elections to the City Council under the Local Government Elections Ordinance on Saturday, 21st December. As you are aware, claims and objections have already been heard and it is expected that the electoral registers, as amended and certified, will be available to the public before the end of this month. All the other administrative arrangements for the elections, such as the delimitation of polling districts and the selection of polling stations, is well advanced, and this information will be gazetted shortly. The issue of the writ of elections will take place on 1st November, specifying 18th November as nomination day. As the life of the present City Council expires on 7th December, it will be necessary to extend its life to cover the interregnum period. To this end, new legislation is now under preparation and will come before this House at its next sitting. The purpose of this legislation is simply to validate all business conducted between 7th December and the holding of new elections on 21st December.

As regards elections to the three rural District Councils, it is envisaged that this will be possible about April/May next year. Already, the electoral divisional boundaries drawn up by the official Committee have been referred to the All-Party Committee and Government has adopted two amendments, which were suggested by that Committee. The boundaries will shortly be gazetted and the preparation of the registers has already started. It will then be possible to proceed with claims and objections and with the other legal requirements in the same way as for the City Council. A more detailed programme will be announced later. Meanwhile, administrative arrangements to establish rural District Councils are under way.

10.34 a.m.