Election law amendments top Private Member’s Bill proposals

The first session of the 13th Parliament which convenes on June 24 is expected to see a number of Private Members’ Bills on electoral reform and custodial deaths tabled.

 

Pakatan Rakyat parliamentarians who have been relentless in their push for electoral changes have lined up a series of Private Members’ Bills on matters such reforming the Election Commission (EC) and cleaning up the electoral role.

 

Second-term Klang MP Charles Santiago is expected to table a bill calling for the removal of Section 9A of the Elections Act 1958 which stipulates that no changes can be made to the electoral roll after it has been gazetted.

 

The provision was introduced after an Election Court invalidated the 1999 general election result for the Likas state seat following an election petition filed by Parti Bersekutu’s Datuk Harris Mohd Salleh.

 

The court ruled in favour of Harris after it was proven that the EC did not hold a public inquiry after a voter filed an official objection over the inclusion of “questionable” names in the electoral roll, and the police had not investigated reports lodged against the dubious names.

 

“It is related to the case we took up against the EC but the case was thrown out because of Section 9A,” Charles toldfz.com, referring to the case of Dinesh Siva Kumar.

 

About one month prior to GE13 on May 5, ajudicial reviewwas filed at the Shah Alam High Court by Dinesh to remove his name from the electoral roll as he had never applied to be a voter.

 

“We wanted to prove that people who didn’t apply to become voters were in the gazetted electoral role but after (Tun Dr) Mahathir (Mohamad) changed the law in 2001 and included Section 9A – the names are there to stay,” said Charles.

 

Charles said  Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was aware of the need for electoral reform  

 

“But when Najib talks of reform of the EC by putting in under the purview of Parliament, it puts its legitimacy into question – he recognises that there is a problem but he thinks the solution is to put the EC under Parliament.

 

“But this is not enough. Parliament must withdraw Section 9A to give the commissioners powers to remove doubtful names… but the current commissioners must also go,” he stressed.

 

Charles said his Private Member’s Bill would be ready for inclusion in the order paper midway through the first sitting which is expected to continue until mid-July.