EC chief: What is there not fair about Malaysian elections?

Election Commission (EC) chief Mohd Hashim Abdullah has countered claims that the country’s elections are not free and fair in nature.

Hashim was asked to comment on the Citizens’ Declaration which urges, among others, free and fair elections.

Initially dismissing it as a political issue, Hashim said the EC was merely a mechanism which manages elections.

“I can’t comment because it is political in nature. But what is not fair (about country’s elections)?

“How is it not fair? If we (EC) are not fair and we are only on the side of certain quarters, how can several states fall to certain quarters?

“And those states which fell to certain quarters are rich. This means we are transparent,” said Hashim, without mentioning any names.

Stressing that the EC should not be blamed, Hashim said politicians should stick to quarrelling only in the political scene.

“If they want to quarrel, only quarrel in politics. Don’t implicate the EC, the EC only manages elections,” he said.

Meanwhile, when asked whether the EC would follow the advice of Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem who proposed April 30 for the state’s polls, Hashim said they were merely waiting for the state legislative assembly to be dissolved.

“When the state assembly is dissolved, then we will come in to hold elections.

“We have until June 20 (for Sarawak elections), so we don't know when the assembly will be dissolved,” he said, adding that they have yet to receive any indication on when the election will be held.

The EC, nevertheless, is currently 90 percent ready, said Hashim.

Adenan, in January, said that he had met with the EC to propose dates for the state polls.

Although sources claim that polls will be held on April 30, the date, however, has yet to be finalised by the commission. -Mkini