Azman Abidin said the government had shortlisted about 10 candidates including the four current Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) executive directors, former DBKL executive directors as well as candidates outside of DBKL.

“They will be vetted to find the most suitable candidate for the position,” Azman, who is Anwar’s political secretary, was quoted by The Star as saying.

He also said that the delay in announcing the mayor would not affect the city council’s daily operations as the four executive directors and the secretary-general of the federal territories department could carry out the mayor’s functions as stated in the Federal Capital Act 1960.

“I think previously, there was no mayor for more than two weeks, so there’s no issue.”

Mahadi was appointed as the mayor on Oct 1, 2020, for a two-year term.

The federal territories ministry, which was first established in 1978 had been restructured into a department under the Prime Minister’s Department in December last year.