Ambiga: EC can change if put under pressure

Monday, August 08

INTERVIEW And the rakyat must keep that pressure on in order to see through the reforms that they seek.


INTERVIEW Gaining more bargaining chips from the historic July 9 rally, Bersih 2.0 has been exerting pressure on the Election Commission (EC) to carry out electoral reforms.

NONEHowever, during the two debates with Bersih 2.0 chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan (right in photo), embattled EC deputy chairperson Wan Ahmad Wan Omar (left in photo) had shown no commitment to initiate any significant reform to the much disputed electoral system, on the grounds that the commission has no legal power to do so.

Disappointed with the EC, some Bersih 2.0 supporters suggested that the coalition shift its focus to the BN government, which controls the necessary majority in Parliament to amend laws, an important criterion for any meaningful reform.

However, in a recent interview with Malaysiakini, Ambiga said she believes that the electoral reform movement must engage with the EC, and that the commission will change only under pressure from the people.

“I still have hope. I still have hope that things can move,” she said firmly.

The former Bar Council president reiterated that the federal constitution places election commissioner on the same position as a federal court judge, therefore leaving the EC out of the picture of electoral reform would be a mistake.

azlan“I think we probably have to do both (EC and ruling parties). The EC may feel they are powerless, we don't agree and sometimes it is a question of empowerment, and we have to keep persuading them that in fact, they have power more than they think they have.

“They are the body, in my view, it is their responsibility. Shifting the focus away from them would be the wrong thing to do because you are sending the message that they are not responsible for the state of elections in this country and I disagree with that.

“I think they are entirely responsible and there are many thing they can do and I think if they have to take a stand against the government, they have to do it because they are an independent body, they are the ones who should be doing it,” she said.

'Think out of the box'


Ambiga continued to urge the EC to “think out of the box”. “They really need to look at their powers and they really need to use them,” she added.

s ambiga bersihShe was of the view that the engagement with EC after the July 9 rally had produced some “baby steps” - the EC had promised a longer campaign period in the next general election and agreed to study the proposal to set up a bipartisan committee on electoral reform.

“There are also some movements on the overseas voters,” she said, referring to the EC's announcement that assistant registrars will be appointed in all Malaysian missions abroad to facilitate overseas students to register as postal voters.

On the issue of 'what's next', contrary to the view that Bersih 2.0 has been quiet and losing its momentum after the rally, Ambiga said the people has continued the movement through their own initiatives at a more grassroots and localised level.

“We have seen the rakyat take ownership of Bersih, of what it stands for. I am very proud of the rakyat for doing that and it is very welcomed.”

On the other hand, Bersih 2.0 has been busy continuing its advocacy work out of the limelight, said Ambiga, who received continual invitations nationwide to talk about electoral reform.

Although the rally did not directly translate into electoral reform, she observed that election has become one of the hot issues in the town, in which people are not only talking about elections but the desire to register and vote has increased significantly.

perak yellow saturday 060811 02Asked about the lukewarm response of the public towards the Yellow Weekend campaign which calls on supporters to wear something yellow every Saturday, she did seem perturbed.

“It doesn't matter, yellow is still seen as the Bersih 2.0 colour. When there are occasions, people do wear yellow and that's how we keep the issue alive,” said a smiling Ambiga.

Malaysiakini

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