Najib, apologise to Bersih 2.0 first

'To prove the gov't is sincere, Najib should publicly apologise to Bersih, while Ambiga should be invited into the select committee.'

Polls committee a ploy 'to deflect heat from EC'

Multi Racial: Based on PM Najib Razak's and the BN government's track records, I think Anwar Ibrahim could be right on this.

They have gone to great length to prevent Bersih 2.0 from having its demonstration. They have gone to great length to lie about some of the events happening during the demonstration and they are still doing it now. They even declared Bersih 2.0 illegal and arrested people wearing yellow T-shirts.

But what did Bersih 2.0 advocate? Free and fair elections. If BN was for free and fair elections, why did they go that far to stop Bersih 2.0 and declared the movement illegal?

There is some hanky-panky going on with the registered voters, and the Election Commission (EC) is a party to it. Whoever responsible has to be charged for treason.

To prove the government is sincere, Najib should publicly apologise to Bersih 2.0 chief S Ambiga, and a few members from her steering committee should be invited into the proposed parliamentary select committee on election reform as well.

SusahKes: There might be some truth to Anwar's assertion. After all, Najib promised that he would leave no stone unturned in the Teoh Beng Hock's case, but look at where we are today, even after a royal commission of inquiry.

There's too much at stake for Umno-BN to agree for a complete revamp of the electoral system; much of their fortunes for the past 20 or so years have depended on the machinations of the system.

If you wish to reform national elections, but leave the politicians to freely run around in Umno's general assemblies looking for the highest 'I-help-you-you-help-me' bidder, then you still haven't dealt with those who have been dirtying the system in the first place.

I will only believe Najib is serious regarding election reform when I see Dr Mahathir Mohamad panicking.

Anonymous: Time is of the essence. Please convene a parliamentary sitting and form a select committee that can be truly independent. Action should also be taken against the present EC for failing in its duties. How can anyone trust them after all that's happened?

KSN: Yes, Anwar. Otherwise, Najib would start with, accept and enforce all the eight requests of Bersih 2.0, which are good enough before the next general election. The parliamentary select committee can carry out a thorough study before the 14th GE.

If the eight demands are not acceptable and cannot be enforced at the next GE, Najib's select committee proposal is nothing but a charade to take the heat off the EC and the Umno government.

Nobody is falling for it. When will Najib and Umno accept the fact that the people of Malaysia of all races and religion, especially the Malays, have woken up?

Yeoke: I very much doubt that Najib is going ahead with the reforms of the EC. He's trying to divert the attention of the public. Pakatan Rakyat and the civil society must keep the pressure on the government to implement Bersih's demands.

MV: Anwar, please don't waste our time. Why did you never speak about electoral reform when you were the deputy prime minister?

Lin Wenquan: Another chicanery of the PM to appease the public and to avert Bersih 3.0. So far, the recalcitrant EC has done nothing but deny the blatant electoral irregularities and stubbornly insist that all is well. Time will be deliberately wasted if such a committee ever see the daylight.

Perhaps Najib will even announce the 13th GE and leave the committee still-born. Everything will be back to square one.

Umno-BN will hijack another victory suffused with fraud. Najib has already averred that Umno-BN will keep Putrajaya at all costs. This latest pronouncement by a pathological liar is best taken with plenty of salt.

Cala: Is Najib a sociopath or a compulsive liar? In this particular case, he has neither the love nor the mode to impress the opposition anything, and so sociopath argument is out.

But is Najib a compulsive liar, which is equivalent to pathological, chronic, and habitual lying?

One way to read him is from historical developments. The other is to take a look at how the regime behaves in governance.

Is it not true that Malaysia is a developmental state, meaning state-led in development and authoritarian in rule? In such a situation, will the regime abdicate its driver- position and allow transparency?

Sarajun Hoda: If changes can be made by EC within hours, why can't the electoral rolls be cleaned right away, without waiting? Earlier this week, the EC said all those above 90 years will be expunged, while anyone still alive at that age can meet the EC to be reinstated.

So why, then, can't all the double- and triple-voters be removed? Or is this another delaying tactic by the government?

For sure, the biometric system cannot be in place before the 13th GE. So, are we going to polls with suspicious rolls? On that basis, can the losers go to court and declare their contests null and void?
Kgen: To expect any real election clean-up from a party which depends on cheating to win is a bit rich, but I'm willing to take Najib at his word for now.

Even a royal commission of inquiry could be arm-twisted into giving the 'correct' verdict, so I have no high hopes in this committee. It all depends on the people selected to sit on it.

Let's see the terms of reference and composition of the panel. If this is a ploy to whitewash the EC, it's going to backfire on Najib.

Yellow Boxer: If the BN were serious about reform, it would convene Parliament immediately and form the select committee by electing the members directly in that august house.

But a minister in the shape of Nazri Abdul Aziz has pre-empted Najib by saying that there's not going to be a parliament meeting anytime soon. There you have it, a good intention by Najib being shot down by his own minster. - Malaysiakini