KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 — Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said she would propose to the Cabinet by 2021 a model for local council elections.

Zuraida said the proposal will recommend the best model, mechanism and implementation plan to hold local council elections. 

"From there, I will leave it to the Cabinet to decide. As far as I am concerned, I have done my duty,” she said in an interview with the Sunday Star.

Zuraida said she envisioned a third vote that reflected Malaysia’s maturity, full democracy, and progressiveness.

“Otherwise, we will not be seen as an advanced nation. But it (the proposal) is still subject to Cabinet’s decision,” she said.

Adding to this, Zuraida also expressed a desire to see more women participating in local council elections.

“As a woman minister I am all for the participation of women in leadership roles. I want women to make up 30 per cent of the councillors, so in the next term local governments should look into this,” she said.