Govt should appoint a reformist as new EC chair

 

CSO Platform for Reform would like to voice our concern in the process of appointing the next chairperson of the Election Commission (EC).

This is as current chairperson Abdul Ghani Salleh is scheduled for compulsory retirement in May, together with a vacancy for the position of Sabah EC commissioner.

The appointment of an election expert, reformist and independent chairperson of the EC is important because they will be responsible for the delineation process in Sarawak (ongoing), Sabah (2025), and in Peninsular Malaysia (2026), which is an important aspect in shaping the landscape of national democracy.

CSO Platform for Reform is consistent with our position that the government should implement a transparent, open, and inclusive election to fill the vacancy of EC chairperson and Sabah EC members.

The appointment mechanism of EC members, including the chairperson, must go through a Parliamentary Special Select Committee to ensure that the appointment process is aligned with the principles of democracy, transparency, and accountability.

This method is also used in other developed countries such as in Canada and Australia, which involve special committees or independent bodies in the appointment of their Electoral Commission members.

This approach has proven to be effective in guaranteeing independence and transparency in the appointment process.

However, by understanding the lack of time to implement the process, CSO Platform for Reform urges the government to appoint an independent and reformist election expert as the next EC chairperson to lead the commission in the redelineation process scheduled to begin in the near future.

The appointment of an EC chairperson who has these criteria is important to ensure that there is no abuse of power by the government in an institution that should be free and open.

Four points needing attention

The EC chairperson also needs to speed up the election reform agenda, which has been stalled since 2020.

Some important issues that need serious attention include the need for a new method for out-of-district voters, amendments to the Electoral Offences Act 1954 to make it more effective, and the implementation of election expenditure audits by candidates and political parties.

CSO Platform for Reform demands the government to:

1. Appoint a reformist and independent EC chairperson who is an election expert.

2. Ensure that the institutional reform agenda is implemented in the process of appointing EC members, especially for the next chairperson, through a transparent, open, and inclusive method through a Parliamentary Special Select Committee.

3. To ensure that the redelineation of electoral areas is carried out in a transparent, open, and inclusive manner to avoid abuse of power by the government.

4. Ensure that other electoral reform agendas are also implemented such as the need for new methods for out-of-district voters, amendments to the Electoral Offences Act, and implementing election expenditure audits by candidates and political parties.

We are always ready to cooperate strategically with the government and the opposition to implement the reform agenda for the good and development of the country. - Mkini

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CSO Platform for Reform is a coalition of 102 civil society organisations working on institutional reforms.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.