SHAH ALAM: Residents from three New Villages will go to the polls next month to elect their leaders for the first time.

The move to allow Chinese villagers to select their own Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) chiefs is the first step towards restoring local government elections.

“Once elected, the state will formally appoint them [as JKKK chiefs],” said executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah in an exclusive interview with Selangor Times yesterday.

The first election will kick off in Jenjarom with nomination day on July 24 and polls on July 31, followed by Pulau Ketam and Pandamaran.

Nomination day is set for July 31 and voting day on Aug 7 in Pulau Ketam while Pandamaran’s nomination day will be on Aug 7 and polls on Aug 14.

Ean Yong, whose portfolio includes New Villages, said the election dates are set on Sundays for voters’ convenience.

All candidates must be above 21 years of age and must stay at the villages for at least two years.

“This is to ensure that the candidates are familiar with local issues which will help them serve the villagers more effectively,” said Ean Yong.

He said eligible candidates would have to pay a RM500 deposit and submit their nomination forms between 9am and 10am on nomination day. Candidates must contest in their personal capacity and not under any political party banner.

Ean Yong added that villagers can  cast their votes between 8am and 4pm. All registered voters included in the latest electoral roll as of Oct 27 last year are eligible to vote.

Jenjarom’s polling stations will be at its community and multipurpose halls, Pulau Ketam at its community hall on the main street and Pandamaran at the JKKK centre and sports complex.

Ean Yong said the state has allocated RM60,000 for each election.

As the Election Commission has refused to help,  local councils and district offices will run the elections.

If the polls are successfully carried out in the three pioneering villages, the model may be used to elect other JKKK chiefs in Selangor.

Local government elections in Malaysia were suspended in 1964 after the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation, and the state’s move to have them restored has been rejected by both Putrajaya and Election Commission.