RCI, not parliamentary committee, to address electoral fraud: Mahfuz

A Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) is the best way to clean up the country’s electoral system as opposed to the parliamentary select committee announced by Barisan Nasional, said PAS vice president Mahfuz Omar.

Mahfuz (left) said this was because in a royal commission, all quarters including non-governmental organisations can play their part.

“If RCI is to be established, it involves many parties, not only members of parliaments. The PSC is only limited to MPs, and NGOs like Bersih is not allowed to join, as are the constitutional experts,” he said.

Mahfuz also echoed other Pakatan Rakyat leaders over prime minister Najib Razak’s insistence that general elections could be held without depending on the proceedings of the PSC to be formed in October.

Reacting to the statement, deputy Dewan Rakyat speaker Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said that if that was the case, recommendations by PSC would be null and void should Parliament be dissolved before they were implemented.

'Meaningless'

Mahfuz said Najib’s statement rendered the PSC useless and meaningless.

“When they want to establish this PSC, they have to show some respect. That means they must wait for the PSC to finish their discussion, then their proposal to the government and the government must comply these proposals out of respect to the parliament,” he stressed.

Mahfuz described the announcement of the PSC as a bid to ease pressure on the government following a spate of revelations of electoral fraud.

He took to task minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz’s over the composition of the PSC committee, saying Nazri had insulted the parliament by pre-empting the highest lawmaking institution in the country.

“It is just not appropriate for a Minister who is in charge of parliamentary affairs to make a statement ahead of parliament on the composition of PSC membership," said Mahfuz, who added it was amusing that the ruling party was heading a committee to look into its own abuses.

“The dispute in the electoral reforms centres on the government, and suddenly the government becomes the chairman,” he remarked.

PAS leaders have rejected the announcement of the PSC, saying it smacked of insincerity on the part of BN.

“How serious is Barisan Nasional to improve the electoral system if such unintelligent statement is made?” asked PAS Murshidul Am Tuan Guru Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.

Warning of another rally

Information chief Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man again reminded the government that cleaning up the electoral mess in the country should be made priority before calling for elections..

“If not, what is the point of voting when the results

do not reflect the people's choices, but the outcome of phantom and foreign voters?” he asked.

Tuan Ibrahim warned that any move to accelerate the general election before addressing the shortcomings would only prompt another major protest similar to Bersih's July 9 rally.

Tuan Ibrahim meanwhile said PAS and
Pakatan Rakyat would be deciding on their participation in the PSC following the government's insistence for elections to be called anyway.

- Harakahdaily