Rashid: PSC proposals can be done 'within a week'(with FULL VIDEO)

The parliamentary select committee (PSC) on electoral reform's proposals are merely procedural changes, so implementation within a week is possible, according to former Election Commission (EC) chairperson Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman.

"What is suggested by the PSC merely involves election rules, you can do it in a week. All you need to do is sign it, end of story," he said at an election forum in Kota Bharu last night.

He added that the current reforms merely touch the "tail" of the problem, ignoring the "head".

"You change the the exhaust and the door, but the car's engine is still old," he said.

When it was pointed out that most of electoral reform group Bersih's demands were not included in the PSC's recommendations, Abdul Rashid said they may concern structural reforms which would require more time.

He said when he was EC chief, he had proposed changes but could not touch on structural reforms as he had to maintain his relationship with the government.

"I suggested changes here and there, but for structural changes, it would disrupt my relationship with the government. I had to be careful because if there is a split with the government the atmosphere will not be healthy."

Reform proposal 'not strong enough'

However, he urged the people to support the present reforms as finally there is political will to change, even though not "strong enough".

The "election man" of 27 years said that his difficulties then were compounded by the fact that he was bound by electoral laws.

"If the election laws are dumb as a cow, then we're dumb as a cow," he lamented.

"But now I am no longer bound by electoral laws, the only laws that I am bound are god's laws, if something is wrong, I will say it is wrong."

He criticised the involvement of other agencies in conducting polls, urging that the EC be given full powers.

"Elections are conducted according to laws, if there are problems with the laws, they have to be changed. Give EC full powers to be in charge of elections which can be accepted as being clean and fair," he said.

Among the suggestions he put forward was the registration of political parties to come under EC jurisdiction.

"If this power had been given to SPR, Pakatan Rakyat would have been able to register itself a long time ago," he said.

He added that another fundamental change required was the way the media is used during elections.

"Going by international standards, public media should not be used for campaigning but if you are going to then there should at least be equal access," he said.

'Permanent reform body needed'

Abdul Rashid defended his decision not  to lengthen the campaigning period when he was EC head.

"Of course for some parties if you want to campaign all year long, they can, but for the smaller parties, they do not have such resources, so we need to be fair to them.

"There are also security concerns, for example thousands of police have to be sent to Sabah and Sarawak during election time."

However, Abdul Rashid said there are less security concerns today and it was possible for the campaigning period to be extended to 15 days.

He called for the setting up of a permanent body comprising experts to oversee structural electoral reforms as the present PSC's term would end when parliament is dissolved.


View the FULL video : http://malaysiansmustknowthetruth.blogspot.com/2012/01/hot-and-exclusive-video-wacana-perdana.html