The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, announced today that the Election Commission (EC) will be reporting to a parliamentary select committee (PSC) from now.
He said he was transferring his office’s responsibility to oversee the election regulator to Parliament where a panel comprising members from both sides of the political divide would help improve its credibility.
He said: “With this step, it is hoped that the EC’s independence will no longer be questioned and the people’s confidence will be strengthened towards the EC.”
Without the details, it is not possible to comment intelligently on this move, although it is a step in the right direction.
It would have been more proper for Najib to have full consultation with the Pakatan Rakyat MPs on the this proposal before any announcement is made – so that it would be seen as an innovation which has received bipartisan discussion and support, including the full details involved.
Offhand, pending full details of the proposal, let me state that the Election Commission must start with a completely new slate with a new Chairman and Deputy Chairman if it is to command full public confidence, as the present Chairman and Deputy Chairman had operated as if they are Barisan Nasional protoganists and politicians in taking on Pakatan Rakyat leaders.
#1 by worldpress on Saturday, 1 June 2013 - 2:36 pm
They prefer to serve those monkey in the Jungle allow those monkeys dominate n turn Election into monkey playground the whole Malaysia if possible
Few year monkey come to vote to get free banana (bribe)
They don’t vote with brain
#2 by observer1234 on Saturday, 1 June 2013 - 3:39 pm
If this new Parliamentary Select Committee, comprising of members of both sides of political divide, were to formed to oversee the EC, the first task it must do is to redraw the voting districts to stop gerrymandering. No democratic government will see it fit to have a voting system like Malaysia where one voting distract can have almost 10 times the number of voters compared to the other. A good example is that we have almost 145,000 voters in Kapar, while in Putrajaya, there are only about 12,500 voters. That’s why theoretically in Malaysian, we can have a government with less than 20% of popular votes, yet control the Parliament and calling all the shots. We got to stop this undemocratic and unfair system. Change it now!
#3 by negarawan on Saturday, 1 June 2013 - 3:40 pm
Let’s wait for the full details. This is a step in the right direction for Malaysia as a whole.
#4 by Loh on Saturday, 1 June 2013 - 4:03 pm
Najib has confidence deficit. Whenever he tries to do something which appears one step forward, we have to anticipate the two steps backward. Is Najib saying that he is no longer responsible for EC actions though EC has shown to be partial? Najib should be responsible for the actions of his current EC head and deputy. He should appoint a new EC, and make the new EC report to the parliamentary select committee.
#5 by worldpress on Saturday, 1 June 2013 - 4:38 pm
Can Malaysia may apply the World Record Malaysia may have the most civil servants telling lie, threat in public, news n papers in the word?
Lie, again and again, how long Malaysian have to Listen! Listen! Listen! these
#6 by Jeffrey on Saturday, 1 June 2013 - 5:01 pm
For public confidence there must not only be a change of EC’s chairman and deputy chairman but also each of their appointment must receive the affirmative vote and endorsement of the Federal Opposition subject to oversight of a bi partisan parliamentary select committee (PSC) and their tenure of appointment of a fixed term that cannot be earlier terminated except in cases of commission of misconduct impropriety or criminal offence, bankruptcy or insanity.
#7 by sotong on Saturday, 1 June 2013 - 5:52 pm
When one lie/cheat for too long, even for petty matters, nobody will trust/listen to them anymore.
One lose all credibility and integrity and would not be able to do their jobs properly……in this situation, if one have any pride or dignity left, one should apologise and resign.
#8 by omeqiu on Saturday, 1 June 2013 - 6:37 pm
“Without the details, it is not possible to comment intelligently on this move, although it is a step in the right direction.”
Wait-lah before you comment further. Why the impatience?
Should PR also agree to the appointment of new Chairman and Deputy Chairman? Do we have such persons?
#9 by Cinapek on Saturday, 1 June 2013 - 11:17 pm
If Najib replaces the present EC top dogs, he will be admitting they helped BN to cheat in GE 13.
I have little or no faith in these PSCs. There was another bipartisan PSC where DAP’s Dr Tan Seng Giaw was a member but I remembered that he was practically reduced to the role of a bystander with the BN chairman and the majority BN MPs dictating the direction of the particular PSC.
#10 by worldpress on Saturday, 1 June 2013 - 11:56 pm
Listen! Listen! Listen! what…
Lie! Lie! Lie!..those monkey in the jungle sure believe it