Local Government in Malaysia: Democratisation, Decentralisation and Accountability

State–Federal Relations Select Committee Roundtable

Event Details

Penang Institute, with the support of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), will convene the third roundtable under the Penang State–Federal Relations Select Committee series, focusing on the role of local government within Malaysia’s federal system. The session will be held as a closed, invitation-only roundtable, bringing together policymakers, local-government practitioners and researchers for a focused discussion.

Local authorities deliver many services that directly shape citizens’ everyday lives, from waste management and public spaces to licensing, development planning and urban services. Yet their capacity to respond effectively also depends on how authority, funding and responsibilities are distributed across Local, State and Federal Governments.

The roundtable will examine how existing federal–state arrangements affect local-government authority and capacity, while exploring opportunities for stronger coordination, more effective sharing of responsibilities, and reforms that can strengthen local service delivery, accountability and innovation.

The session forms part of an ongoing series examining State–Federal relations in Malaysia, following earlier roundtables on healthcare and social welfare.

Organised by

Penang Institute and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS)