The Malaysian Bar - Panel to look beyond NGO's 8 demands for free and fair polls (Update)

Home

News

Legal/General News

Panel to look beyond NGO's 8 demands for free and fair polls (Update)

Thursday, 08 September 2011 08:56am

©The Sun (Used by permission)
by Hemananthani Sivanandam

PUTRAJAYA (Sept 7, 2011): The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on electoral reforms will look into a wider scope for its framework to ensure free and fair elections.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said the cabinet has agreed to focus on wider reforms and not merely be constrained to the eight demands made by several non-governmental organisations and opposition members of Parliament.

“If you look at the framework, it is very wide but if you want to go on specifics, then we are limited to that but here, anything to strengthen the Election Commission (EC) can be discussed, which works towards free and fair elections,” said Nazri in a press conference today.

Nazri said he had brought the memorandum prepared by the EC on the formation of the PSC to the cabinet, which was approved today.

There were eight core demands by NGOs and opposition MPs last month:

* Strengthening public institutions

* Stop corruption

* Stop dirty politics

* Free and fair access to media

* Cleaning the electoral roll

* Reform postal votes and advanced voting (for those stationed overseas)

* The use of indelible ink and the EC’s counter proposal to implement biometric system

* Campaign period

Nazri said the PSC will have six months to deliberate on the framework.

“However if needed, the time period can be extended,” he said.

The electoral reform committee, which was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak last month, is to put to rest any form of suspicion of manipulation of the election roll.

The PSC will comprise of nine MPs - five from Barisan Nasional (BN), three from the Opposition, and an independent, and will be chaired by a cabinet minister.

Nazri said the names of the five MPs from BN will be proposed by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

"He (Muhyiddin) will then inform the Rights and Privileges Committee in Parliament, which is chaired by the Dewan Rakyat Speaker (Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia)," said Nazri.

Nazri added the Opposition and independent members can also do the same and a motion will be proposed by him to be tabled on Oct 3 for the formation of PSC.

Asked if the PSC will cease its duty should there be early elections, Nazri said: "We are working on the premise that the life span of the Parliament will expire in April 2013, and after that we have another 60 days to call (for election).

"That is certain ... I can’t work on speculation," he stressed.

Nazri added that the cabinet also agreed that the matters discussed in the PSC can be implemented as soon as possible without waiting for it complete its reports.

“Whichever (recommendation) gets the consensus without needing amendments to the acts or constitution, it can be done immediately,” said Nazri.

Asked on the demands by the opposition for assurance that the reforms will be implemented before the next general election, failing which they will boycott the PSC, Nazri said the committee will go on regardless.

He said the government took proactive measures by announcing the formation of PSC after the request by several opposition MPs last month, who urged for a special parliamentary sitting to debate on electoral fraud.

"“We interpret this as their wish, so now if they don’t want to take part, then it’s weird, but regardless if they participate or not, we will go on because we also want free and fair elections,” said Nazri.

Set as favourite

Email This