Wan Ahmad, an inglorious exit from the EC: WHO WILL REPLACE HIM - another Umno acolyte?

KUALA LUMPUR - It's a sad day for one of Malaysia most notorious public figures - Wan Ahmad Wan Omar, the Election Commission deputy chairman as he retires after serving for 16 years.

For sure, his staff will give him the prerequisite send-off complete with farewell lunches, dinners and gifts. But a daunting future lies ahead for this 66-year-old. His 16-years of service stands to be brushed aside.

To the majority of Malaysians, he is perceived negatively as someone who sold his integrity and self-respect to Prime Minister Najib Razak's Umno party.

His supporters may feel that such an allegation is too harsh, but check around, the public's memory of Wan Ahmad is one etched in disgrace, disgust and contempt.

"Wan Ahmad will be remembered for being the most political and biased EC official. One day he will have to face the public to be accountable for all the wrongs done to the public through the Election Commission," MP for Pandan Rafizi Ramli told Malaysia Chronicle.

Long overdue

Indeed, Wan Ahmad has been accused of doing Malaysians out of a free and fair election. If true, then he would have to bear full responsibility, especially should Umno fail to deliver and the nation plunges into crisis as a result of mishandling and mis-governance.

There are many who deem Wan Ahmad a traitor for his perceived bias and efforts to help Umno win the 2013 election. In so doing, according to his critics, Wan Ahmad has deprived the majority of voters - the 53% who voted for the Opposition - their wish for a new government and a new 'dawn' for the nation.

So foul were Wan Ahmad's actions that Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim personally led a nationwide Black 505 protest to demand that he be sacked along with EC chairman Abdul Aziz Yusof.

"His stepping down is long overdue. Unfortunately, he fails to address key flaws in the electoral system and in the EC itself," MP for Lembah Pantai Nurul Izzah told Malaysia Chronicle.

Nurul was referring to talk that this was Najib's compromise to voters. While the government would not sack Wan Ahmad - after his prejudice may have helped them to win the election - his contract would not be renewed.

Greatest fiascoes of all

Perhaps this was why EC chairman Abdul Aziz Yusof was a tad defensive, insisting that Wan Ahmad's retirement was in accordance with Article 114 (3) of the Federal Constitution.

Wan Ahmad had held the post since Dec 17, 2004, and was head of the EC communication and information, training, voter education and publication committee.

He was involved in four general elections (1999, 2004, 2008 and 2013), 42 by-elections (from 1998 to 2013) and three re-delineation exercises for electoral boundaries in the peninsula and Sabah in 1990 and 2003, and in Sarawak in 2005.

"He also headed several work teams to study improvements for the commission and in managing general elections," said Aziz.

Among the EC's greatest fiascoes at the 2013 election was indelible ink that could be washed off within hours of applying. Complaints of vote-rigging plus the discovery of thousands of illegal foreigners posing as Malaysian citizens so as to cast their ballots in favor of the Umno- BN are still creating shock waves across the nation.

"Given the recent revelations by the former EC chairman, we are very concerned with the present EC. In any event, our stand has always been that all members of this Election Commission should resign and the recent revelations by the former EC chairman makes it more imperative," Ambiga Sreenevasan, former co-chair of the Bersih movement for free and fair elections, told Malaysia Chronicle.

She was referring to Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman, the past EC chairman who days ago admitted that the 3 re-delineation exercises carried out during his term had ensured the continued political dominance of the Malays.

Blindly follow

Wan Ahmad, who was the EC secretary when the last re-delineation exercise took place in 2002, was quick to distance himself from his former boss.

"In the EC, the (commission) members are the ones who have the powers and responsibilities. The secretary and officers are only doing things that are decided (by them)," Malaysiakini reported Wan Ahmad as saying.

"In 2002, I was the secretary, and not in the position to do anything else. I just implemented the decisions by Tan Sri Rashid, who was chairman at the time."

If Wan Ahmad is right and EC officials carried out orders blindly, regardless of whether the instructions are ethical or criminal, chances are high that in the coming re-delineation exercise mentioned by Ambiga, the Umno-BN will try to influence the EC to respond in ways that benefit them and help them to stay in power at the next general election, due latest in 2018.

All eyes on who will be the new EC No. 2

Shocking as it may seem, Wan Ahmad and his current boss Abdul Aziz have also been exposed as being members of Umno. Neither have been able to explain if this was true and why were they allowed to stay in charge at the EC despite clear conflict of interest.

Wan Ahmad, the EC and the Najib administration have all denied there was any gerrymandering, but it is clear that this exists and was responsible for helping Umno to stay in power.

Despite winning 53% of the total votes cast, the Opposition won only 89 of the Federal Parliament's 222 seats, an anomaly that would not be possible if the seat boundaries were not drawn in a grossly unfair way.

Malaysia is required to reassess electoral boundaries every 8 years. Bersih and other civil society activists have warned that they will not accept any plan to redraw boundaries until there a new and credible board at the EC's helm.

"I am more concerned about who is replacing him. We are at a critical juncture now with the re-delineation and civil society must be allowed to give their input," said Ambiga. - Malaysia Chronicle