quality:corruption, stylistic:tone
Local governments

Penang is further divided into two city-level municipalities, each administered by a local government. The local governments exercise power in areas such as planning and development control, public housing, public spaces, waste disposal, business licensing, markets, local transport, and municipal roads.

Penang is also divided into five administrative districts – two in George Town and three in Seberang Perai. Each district is headed by a district officer. The lands and district office in each district deals with land administration and revenue. Thus, it differs from the local governments that oversee the provision and maintenance of urban infrastructure.

After Pakatan Rakyat was voted into power in 2008, the newly-elected state government attempted to reinstate local government elections within Penang, which have been suspended since the 1960s. At the time, the Barisan Nasional -controlled federal government objected to the move, which eventually led to the Federal Court 's decision that local government elections do not fall under the jurisdiction of state governments.