Ambiga wants non-partisan committee for electoral reform
By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider
SHAH ALAM, July 26 — Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan today proposed that the Election Commission (EC) set up a special committee to discuss issues concerning electoral reform following public outcry over the existing electoral system.
The Bersih chairman said that the committee should comprise both Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) representatives as well as representatives from NGOs.
“Is the EC prepared to set up a committee to look into all issues, and maybe in three months’ time come up with a report on how the electoral roll can be set up?” she asked today during a public forum with EC deputy chairman Datuk Wira Wan Ahmad Wan Omar.
But Wan Ahmad did not once respond to her suggestion throughout the entire forum, choosing instead to reiterate that the EC carried out its duties accordingly and should not be held responsible over the implementation of any reform demands.
“The EC is open to suggestions. We will invite all parties to hear the suggestions, and also any NGOs who are truly ‘ikhlas’ (honest),” he said.
