Election Commission (EC) deputy chairman Datuk Wira Wan Ahmad Wan Omar has expressed surprise but welcomed the Najib administration’s move to form a parliamentary select committee to study the current electoral system.
He said it would help the battered EC handle recent criticism and demands made of it, but he admitted not expecting the prime minister’s move which appeared to be a major concession to polls reform group Bersih.
“I didn’t expect the prime minister... to take this step,” Wan Ahmad (picture) told today.
“However, I see that the prime minister has made the right announcement and he has shown sincerity in satisfying the people about the electoral system,” he said.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said yesterday that a bipartisan committee comprising Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers would prevent further accusations of electoral roll “manipulations.”
Najib’s latest announcement is a major concession that acknowledges the political fallout from his administration’s harsh clampdown on the July 9 Bersih rally.
His administration was roundly criticised in the international media, with his reformist image taking a major hit after the authorities took extreme measures including firing tear gas and water cannons at largely peaceful demonstrators.
Polls watchdog Bersih took to the streets in the capital city on July 9 to demand for fair and free elections, defying warnings of police action, which finally resulted in nearly 1,700 arrests, scores injured and one ex-soldier dead.
PR demanded recently for an emergency Parliament sitting to be held to discuss allegations of permanent residence holders being registered as voters and given instant citizenship.
Wan Ahmad said the parliamentary select committee would enable political parties to discuss the necessary steps to improve the current electoral system.
“As we have said earlier, the SPR is a body that runs elections; we have no power to amend laws because laws and Acts are enacted by the Dewan Rakyat. Parliament is a good platform to discuss issues about the electoral system,” he said, using the EC’s Malay acronym.
To run an election, the EC refers to the Federal Constitution, state constitutions, Elections Act 1958, Elections Offences Act 1954, Elections (Conduct of Elections) Regulations 1981 and Elections (Postal Voting) Regulations 2003.
Wan Ahmad pointed out that a parliamentary select committee in Australia comprised MPs in proportion to their representation in the House of Representatives, which were government, opposition and independent lawmakers.
BN has 137 members in the Dewan Rakyat, PR has 75 (DAP — 29, PKR — 23, PAS — 23), the Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) has one and there are nine independent members.
Asked if there was hope for a thorough reform, Wan Ahmad said it was difficult to answer at this point.
“We do not know yet the terms and references of this committee. So, we need to wait first. Maybe in a few days’ time, we’ll know the mechanism and terms and references, and what needs to be refined... then we will know the results of discussions,” he added.
comments
The Parliamentary Select Committee will be set up just to defuse the heat. Just like all the previous Royal Commissions, there is no real intention to find the truth or make reforms. All are just shadow plays.
So no wonder the EC was caught off-guard. It was not consulted because it was just a Najib's PR exercise.. Najib is just good at making grand announcements without any substance or follow-through.
When Bersih, Ambiga and opposition asked for reform, you accused them of having political agenda; when Najib announced to look at reform, you said "he has shown sincerity in satisfying the people about the electoral system".
Where is the impartiality that EC and its people should exhibit at all times? If anything, to kick off the so-called reform, please sack this joker. Then we are talking.
Watch out there is a ploy behind, Prime MInister's sudden therapy on electrol reform, no chance i suspect there will be injustice knowing that he's been pressured. Rakyat we must be alert, keep the 8 demands on the right track, we want to use the indelible ink that's our first demand and the rest follows............
This is likely to be a delaying tactic by Najib so that all the problems of unfair voting are shelved until after GE13. After all, Najib is only concerned with GE13; after that, he might not even be the PM if he doesn't win a 2/3 majority in GE13. So this polls reform panel is a good solution for Najib.
No comments:
Post a Comment