THE government has come under fire from electoral watchdog Bersih for its appointment of a new Election Commission (EC) commissioner. Bersih has strongly criticised the move, asserting that it contradicts the election promises made by both Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN).
The appointment of Sapdin Ibrahim as an EC commissioner has drawn significant scrutiny from Bersih due to the lack of parliamentary review in the selection process. This has led Bersih to question the sincerity of Prime Minister (PM) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the unity government in implementing institutional reforms.
“The 15th promise in PH’s ‘Buku Harapan’ manifesto for the 15th General Election (GE15) was to strengthen institutional integrity. It stated that appointments to key positions such as those in the EC, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and police need to be reviewed by Parliament first.
“The same promise was also stated in BN’s ‘Plan of Action and Effort’ document, which was its manifesto for GE15,” it said in a statement.
Moreover, Bersih has called for corrective measures to be taken promptly. It has urged the establishment of a parliamentary committee to overhaul the appointment process for the EC chief especially with the impending retirement of current chairman Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Salleh.
The committee should include members from both the government and opposition blocs to ensure transparency and accountability, according to Bersih.
Furthermore, Bersih outlined specific criteria for the appointment of the EC chief, pointing out the importance of independence from political affiliations, expertise in election-related matters and a clean record free from criminal and electoral offences.
“If this is not implemented, the Madani government and PM can no longer use the word ‘reform’, which so far has been nothing more than lip service.”
Last month, the Undi18 movement also weighed in on the matter, urging the government to appoint an electoral expert with substantial experience in electoral reforms as the next EC chairman.
“The government must appoint the incoming chairman ‘wisely’, especially as the looming vacancy comes at a critical time for Malaysia, with the delineation of electoral boundaries in Sarawak (ongoing), Sabah (2025), and Peninsular Malaysia (2026),” it said. – May 8, 2024
