UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi has raised concerns over the potential influence of cartels and “gangsters” if elections are held for the Mayor of Kuala Lumpur.
He cited the city’s status as a hub with numerous entertainment outlets, pubs, nightclubs, massage parlours, and other immoral activities as a factor that could open the door to undue influence.
“As well as being affected by political parties and racial sentiment, the election could also be influenced by cartels and gangsters,” he said.
“Imagine gangsters in Kuala Lumpur using their money and networks to back a certain candidate. The Mayor’s office would no longer be independent. Civil servants can be disciplined for wrongdoing, but an elected mayor would serve their full term regardless,” he added in a Facebook post.
Earlier, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh reportedly stated that a study is underway on implementing local authority elections in the capital, including the selection of Kuala Lumpur’s Mayor.
The study began in December last year, following a Private Member’s Bill submitted by the Federal Territories MP in November 2025, which proposed amending the Federal Capital Act 1960 to introduce governance reforms in Kuala Lumpur.
The International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) began the study at the end of last year, and its findings on the feasibility of the election and its potential outcomes are expected next month.
Mohd Puad urged UMNO to take a firm stance against holding mayoral elections and to establish a special secretariat to examine the implications for security, governance, and administrative stability in the city.
“UMNO must oppose this. The party should immediately set up a special secretariat to prepare a response, just as it opposed the URA Bill (Urban Renewal Amendment),” he said.
