A SUITABLE list of names for the position of the Election Commission (EC) chairman should be submitted to the Special Parliamentary Select Committee on Human Rights, Elections and Institutional Reform for vetting before being proposed to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (YDPA) for consideration as per Article 114 of the Federal Constitution
The position of the EC chairman was vacated on May 9 when Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Salleh retired upon reaching 66 years of age.
One of the most important decisions the Madani government has to make that will impact institutional and electoral reforms for decades to come is who will be appointed to fill this position.
This person will have to oversee the delimitation of constituencies as per Article 113 (2) and Schedule 13 of the Federal Constitution.
The number of parliament and states seats should be increased in a way to reduce the gross malapportionment resulting from non increases in the number of seats in the past two delimitation exercises as the governing coalition did not have two-thirds control of Parliament.
Qualified candidates
This delimitation exercise will shape electoral politics in Malaysia for the next decade if not more as it will influence the balance of power within and between the different states in Malaysia.
The new EC chairman will also have the responsibility of putting in place more processes and policies that should even the electoral playing field regardless of who is the government of the day.
In the past, the position of the EC chairman has always been held by a civil servant or former civil servant with the exception of Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun, a lawyer by training, who later resigned from his position to take up the role of the Dewan Rakyat speaker after the “Sheraton Move”.
The next EC chairman should have the following qualities:
- Respected by all sides of the political spectrum for his or her independence;
- Well-versed in the laws governing elections and the delimitation of constituencies; and
- Enjoys public confidence as per Article 114 (2) of the Federal Constitution.
Some suitable names in my opinion would include current EC deputy chairman Dr Azmi Sharom; current EC member Dr Mohd Faisal Hazis; former BERSIH chairman Ambiga Sreenevasan; and political scientist Prof Dr Wong Chin Huat of the Sunway University.
I shall propose their names to the Special Parliamentary Select Committee on Human Rights, Elections, and Institutional Reform which is chaired by Selayang MP William Leong for vetting and consideration.
This committee will vet through the candidates and propose either one or a limited number of names for the YDPA to consider in consultation with the Council of Rulers as per Article 114 (1) of the Federal Constitution.
This is in line with Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) long-standing commitment to strengthening the institution of the Malaysian Parliament.
If the Parliament is by-passed and the recommendation comes solely at the discretion of the Prime Minister, this would be a lost opportunity for the Madani government to showcase its reformist credentials. – May 17, 2024
Former DAP MP for Bangi Ong Kian Ming was also the deputy international trade and industry minister during the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration (July 2018-February 2020).
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
