Bersih sees red with EC, PSC

Bersih 2.0's 'report card' still shows that many of its recommendations to the Parliamentary Select Committee and Election Commission have been ignored

PETALING JAYA: Bersih 2.0 today lambasted the Election Commission (EC) and the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) for electoral reforms over their failure to make the necessary changes to improve the election system.

“The EC’s apparent lack of commitment and pro-activeness in implementing not only Bersih 2.0’s recommendations but also the PSC’s recommendations indicates a serious lack of political will in facilitating deeply needed reforms in the electoral system,” the Bersih 2.0 steering committee said in a statement.

Bersih 2.0 said despite the EC being the constitutional institution entrusted to manage electoral procecess and uphold the rights of voters, it seemed “unwilling to fulfil its constitutional duties”.

“Bersih 2.0 reminds the EC that it is not answerable to any political master but to all citizens of Malaysia. The EC has therefore abandoned its constitutional role and responsibility to ensure electoral reforms and good governance be practised and implemented before any elections can take place,” added the pressure group.

Jan 12 marked the final public hearing for the PSC. Bersih 2.0 has compiled a table to compare its recommendations with the PSC’s recommendations in its interim report and the areas which the EC had committeed to implement.

Bersih 2.0 said it was disappointed that overall, the PSC’s interim report had only made a few recommendations despite having heard substantial recommendations from Bersih 2.0 and other groups and individuals.

“The PSC’s interim report should have included all substantial recommendations to ensure that key reforms are implemented by the EC immediately.”

‘We are disappointed’

Bersih 2.0 noted that out of the 41 recommendations in its eight demands, the PSC in its interim report fully adopted only four of its recommendations:

• Thorough and independent audit of the electoral roll;
• Allow eligible voters living overseas to vote as absent voters;
• Adopt advance voting for service voters; and
• Use of indelible ink

The PSC had also partially adopted another four of Bersih 2.0’s recommendations which were:

• Display of supplementary electoral roll to be extended from seven to 14 days, instead of Bersih 2.0′s recommendation of 30 days;
• Removal of RM10 objection fee and limit on number of objections allowed per person;
• Establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to investigate allegations of non-citizens obtaining citizenship and participating as voters at Sabah. (Bersih 2.0 recommended for the establishment of an RCI to investigate all allegations of giving citizenships to non-citizens in exchange for votes);
• Extend absentee voting to East Malaysians living in West Malaysia and West Malaysians living in East Malaysia. Bersih 2.0 recommended for postal voting to be extended to all eligible Malaysians expected to be out of their constituency and at least 250km away from the closest absentee voting centre.

Bersih 2.0 said that “disappointingly”, the EC had only publicly committed to three of those reforms:

• Use of indelible ink in the 13th general election;
• Implement advance voting for service voters; and
• Audit of electoral roll by engaging Mimos Bhd.

“Another recommendation made by the PSC of deep concern to Bersih 2.0 is the removal of the objection period of nomination of candidates and removal of serial numbers on ballot papers,” said the steering committee.

It said that removing serial numbers on ballot papers would open posibilities of fraud by “ballot stuffing”.

“To ensure secrecy of the ballot, Bersih 2.0 recommends to maintain the serial numbers but also to distribute the ballot papers to voters at random.”

With regard to the removal of the objection period, Bersih 2.0 said it disagreed with giving the EC full discretion over eligibility of candidates as voters should be allowed to express any objections they might have towards any nominated candidate.