Lee said DAP’s proposal was interesting but suggested discussing the matter at PH meetings first and then engaging with stakeholders to convince those with doubts.

“It’s not about just proposing ideas, but engaging with stakeholders, because even a well-conceived concept, if met with criticism or non-acceptance, could lead to futile efforts,” he was quoted as saying by Utusan Malaysia.

“It has to be done internally and then with PH, the unity government, NGOs and the people.”

Over the weekend, Kuala Lumpur DAP chairman Tan Kok Wai urged Putrajaya to start local government elections beginning in the capital city to bolster democracy, a proposal that Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh called “insensitive and provocative”.

Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki also protested the proposal, saying in a Facebook post that the people should not be dragged into never-ending political conflict.

Federal territories minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa later said she would discuss the proposal with local government development minister Nga Kor Ming, who is of DAP.

While acknowledging matters of higher priority, she did not dismiss the importance of such elections.

Earlier this year, Nga said there were no plans yet to reintroduce local government elections, which were suspended in the 1960s and replaced with a system of appointed heads, where state mayors of city councils and presidents of municipal and district councils are appointed by the state governments.