LONDON: The extent of changes within Malaysia’s electoral system proposed by the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on electoral reforms will largely depend on when the 13th general election will be held.
Its chairman, Maximus Ongkili, said while there had been and will be some changes, some may not be applied in the forthcoming polls.
“If we have another year to go (for the next general election), then it will be possible,” he told the Malaysian reporters before attending a dinner hosted by High Commissioner Zakaria Sulong for the PSC delegation here to study the electoral roll processes in Europe.
PKR deputy president and Gombak MP Azmin Ali, who is part of the delegation, said given the uncertain date of the 13th general election, it would be best if all reform measures are fully adopted first before the poll date is announced by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.
Also present was Hulu Selangor MP P Kamalanathan who said while these changes were important, the more pertinent matter was to continuously enhance public trust on the country’s electoral system.
“These changes we have and will be proposing are important but we have to remember that the PSC focuses on the bigger picture, which is electoral reforms – not just the coming elections, but for the future elections to come,” he added.
There have been developments coming from the series of suggestions made by the committee, which has been taken up by the Election Commission for implementation.
On Feb 15, regulations on the use of indelible ink in the general election was gazetted, along with the approval for any nominated person of a disabled registered voter to accompany and mark the ballot sheets on his or her behalf.
Greater clarity
In the United Kingdom, Ongkili said that the committee had emerged with greater clarity on how constituency delineation can be improved after their meeting with British MPs and officers of the Boundary Commission for England.
Commenting on overseas voting, he said it was something that the committee had to consider carefully as out of the three countries in this study trip, only Denmark does not impose conditions.
Currently only government employees, army personnel and full-time students can vote overseas.
The delegation will fly to Frankfurt next, to be followed with Berlin and Copenhagen before returning home.
The final report on the recommendations for electoral reforms is expected to be tabled in Parliament and gazetted by the first week of April.
The PSC was formed on Oct 2 last year and given six months to come up with the proposals.
Besides Maximus, Azmin and Kamalanathan, the other MPs in the committee are Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad, Fong Chan Onn, Alexander Nanta Linggi, Mohd Hatta Ramli, Anthony Loke and Wee Choo Keong.
- Bernama
The PSC and EC must work hard to ensure that the next general election will be clean and fair.
ReplyDeletethat is what everyone wants. A clean and fair election.
DeleteIs it so difficult to have a clean and fair election? No need to hide if there is no manipulation in the election process.
DeleteHopefully the election is clean to avoid any argue regarding the election
DeletePSC must focus on electoral systems for all elections to come. We need more transparency, more credibility and fairness.
ReplyDeleteYa setuju. Semoga semuanya berjalan lancar, teratur dan adil.
DeletePastikan reformasi pilihan raya akan dilaksanakan sebelum parlimen dibubarkan.
DeleteGet rid the phantom voters and PATAI voters.
DeleteHarap semua akan berjalan dengan lancar tanpa sebarang masalah.
DeleteHopefully no phantom voters any more.
DeleteMay the best candidate win the next coming GE.
ReplyDeletewinnable candidate masih belum lagi diumumkan oleh PM. harap yang tersenarai adalah yang paling layak dan mendapat sokongan rakyat.
Deletehope the rakyat will vote wisely..
DeleteYang terbaik juga tu menang. Saya yakin rakyat pasti buat pilihan yang tepat.
DeleteMasih ada banyak lagi yang perlu diberikan perhatian sebelum parlimen boleh dibubarkan. Pastikan senarai nama pengundi dibersihkan, pastikan SPR akan merancang PRU dengan bersih dan adil dan juga faktor lain seperti RCI dan NFC perlu diselesaikan terlebih dahulu.
Deleteya.. pastikan calon yang dipilih benar2 yang terbaik.
DeleteHarap calon2 yang di pilih untuk mewakili rakyat benar2 tahu menjalankan tugas mereka dan ikhlas membantu rakyat.
DeleteWinnable candidates harus mereka yang boleh membawa memberi kemajuan kepada rakyat dan rakyat yakin + percaya dengan candidate tersebut
DeleteGood luck to all and do the best.
ReplyDeleteThis election is not a gamble, so should not base on luck but facts that Sabahans have been cheated of our rights and honour.
Deletehope Sabahan will vote wisely during the next GE. vote for change!
DeleteAll parties must work hard to get the people's trust and support. All the best to all parties. May the best party wins.
DeleteSemoga calon yang terbaik akan mendapat sokongan daripada majoriti rakyat, pastikan calon yang diundi itu mempunyai ciri-ciri sebagai pemimpin yang baik.
DeleteSemoga berjaya kepada BN, di harapkan calon yang bakal di pilih adalah calon yang benar2 layak.
DeleteOur lives are in their hands. Choose wisely.
DeleteMax, as a Sabahan, you should know that this is non-negotiable and only subject to conditions in the name of fair play, for the good of Sabah. If the rakyaat asked you to refer to the contracts as per our founding fathers, would this insult your intelligence or has it been sold for 30 pieces of silver.
ReplyDeleteIn the United Kingdom, Ongkili said that the committee had emerged with greater clarity on how constituency delineation can be improved after their meeting with British MPs and officers of the Boundary Commission for England.End quote. Delineation is a simple matter of maths, why the need to quote British MPs, and on the subject of using UK as an example, maybe you should also educate Sabahans that Scotland will have a referendum on whether to be independent or remain part of the UK in 2014.
ReplyDeleteCurrently only government employees, army personnel and full-time students can vote overseas.
ReplyDeleteIt will be great if ALL Malaysian can vote & it does not matter where they are .
Undi di luar negara sepatutnya dibenarkan untuk semua rakyat Malaysia yang bekerja, melancong ataupun belajar di luar negara. Tapi pastikan undian ini adalah bersih dan adil tanpa boleh dimanipulasikan.
DeleteWhy some Malaysian in the overseas are barred from voting? Any relevant reasons?
DeleteThey don't the rights to vote, they may not even know what's going here in Malaysia.
Delete13th GE is just around the corner..
ReplyDeleteHarap-harap semua pihak sudah ready utk berdepan dengan segala kemungkinan yang bakal berlaku next GE nanti.
DeleteSince the election can be done at anytime, the electoral reforms should be done earlier than this.
DeletePaling penting ialah undi rakyat. Harap rakyat dapat membuat pilihan yang tepat dan terbaik.
ReplyDeleteUndian rakyat akan menentukan nasib rakyat sabah.
DeleteHarap mereka akan membuat undian yang paling bijak.
DeleteApapun, kita tunggu dan lihat sajalah apa yang akan berlaku nanti.
ReplyDelete"Some reforms may not be implemented in the coming general election, says the PSC chairman"
ReplyDeleteIt's kinda disappointing when majority want to have the electoral reforms before the 13th GE.
yang perlu pastikan pilihanraya adil dan bersih.
ReplyDeleteUndi dengan bijak, semua terletak di tangan kita.
ReplyDeleteEveryone telling everyone to vote wisely, will we think 1st before we make our decision? Hope so.
ReplyDeleteThis election will definitely bring a massive impact to our country's politics, economics and social. Hope we will have better development after the election.
ReplyDeleteif some of the changes within Malaysia’s electoral system proposed by the PSC cannot be done before the next GE, then I think it would be much better if we invite EC from outside to assist our next GE..
ReplyDeleteOur PM had apologized to the people of Selangor for the mistakes done and agree to change & listen to the people. We do not have a perfect government.
ReplyDeleteI sincerely hope that it is going to be a fair general election especially in Sabah and Sarawak
Jika bersungguh-sungguh pasti akan dapat menyelesaikan masalah mengenai kejujuran dalam PRU. Kerajaan telah menubuhkan JK yang memainkan peranan untuk menyiasat perkara mengenai PRU.
ReplyDelete