KUCHING: The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections’ (Bersih 2.0) proposal to split Malaysia’s electoral management body into three commissions with different jurisdictions and autonomies would require proper and careful studies first, says political analyst Datuk Peter Minos.
He said the current government must have a say in this as it would be the one providing funds for such offices, allowances, and so on.
“Maybe there are some merits in Bersih 2.0’s proposal of splitting the Election Commission (EC),” he said when contacted by New Sarawak Tribune on Wednesday (Feb 10).
On the other hand, he questioned the need to change the status quo if there were no issues in this matter.
“If we are happy and satisfied with the EC, why disturb the status quo? Why bring in complications when there are none in the first place?”
He said thus far, Malaysians were quite happy with the EC as it was now. Likewise, he believed that the EC was alright.
“If there are problems in any election, it is the political parties and politicians who create the problems, not the EC. Accusing the EC of bias or prejudice is easy and unending, as well as subjective.”
Minos said if the current EC had all the legal powers over conducting elections and enforcing all election rules and regulations on constituency delineations, it would be duplication to have another two bodies.
“Duplications mean complications, which could turn into contentious issues.”
In Bersih 2.0’s proposal, the three proposed commissions resulting from the division of Malaysia’s electoral management body would be the EC, Election Enforcement Commission (EEC), and Electoral Boundaries Commission (EBC).
Their proposal was aimed at ensuring that electoral management could be implemented more efficiently, effectively, independently, and transparently.
