PETALING JAYA: Ratepayers will pay dearly if DAP succeeds in pushing for local government elections, said Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan.

He said people would have to pay more local taxes because an elected local government would have to find ways to generate revenue to sustain its autonomous administration.

“The Federal Government now provides an annual allocation of between RM250mil and RM300mil to the local governments.

“But if the local governments are established through the electoral process, the Federal Government would no longer be obligated to inject funds into their coffers,” Rahman added in an interview.

He pointed out that under a full-fledged local governance, the people might find themselves subjected to increased assessment rates, quit rents and parking fees, among others, as an elected authority would have to be financially strong.

“An elected local authority should also take charge of security, healthcare services and education in areas that are within their jurisdiction.

“They can’t rely on the federal-controlled police to provide security. In the United States, for example, the counties rely on sheriffs.”

He also said that DAP should stop misleading the public into thinking that an elected local government would be more efficient.

Rahman said that the people would be the losers if the state and local governments were controlled by opposing parties, with each taking a different approach to development and problem solving.

In some countries where local authorities are elected, the federal or state government was not able to step in immediately to assist victims of natural calamities because of the existence of boundaries of jurisdiction, he said.

“In such countries, the federal government must first declare a state of emergency before it can render assistance to the areas under elected local government control,” he added.-thestar