A party source reveals the suit will be filed
based on Article 114 of the Federal Constitution. He also calls it an
'unprecedented move'.
KUALA
LUMPUR: PKR plans to take legal action against the Election
Commission’s top bosses with regard to the accusation that the two are
Umno members.
Calling it an “unprecedented move”, a party source said the suit
would be based on Article 114 of the Federal Constitution which was
related to the formation of the EC.
“The court action is related to 4A of the Article. We will push for
what is provided in the constitution for their removal. We think we have
enough grounds to do so,” he added.
Article 114 (4A) states: “In addition to any disqualification
provided under Clause (4), the chairman of the Election Commission shall
be disqualified from holding such office if after three months of his
appointment to such office or at any time thereafter he is or becomes a
member of any board of directors or board of management, or an officer
or employee, or engages in the affairs or business, of any organisation
or body, whether corporate or otherwise or of any commercial, industrial
or other undertaking, whether or not he receives any remuneration,
reward, profit or benefit from it.”
The source said that Opposition Leader and PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim
would announce the suit during a Merdeka Rakyat event on May 7 as part
of the party’s effort to push further the momentum gathered from the
Bersih 3.0 rally for polls reform.
In a statement earlier, PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli said the
event would be a tribute to those who went against what he claimed as
police repression on a peaceful assembly.
Recently, PKR claimed that EC chairman Abdul Aziz Yusof and deputy
Wan Ahmad Wan Omar were still members of Umno and called for their
immediate resignations.
The party said this proved their repeated allegations of bias against the two in the past.
Spreading the good news
Despite
the duo admitting to being Umno members in a Sinar Harian interview,
Wan Ahmad later denied the charge and described the accusation a
politically-motivated lie.
“Anwar is expected to make a special announcement regarding the
position of the EC chief and deputy chief at the Merdeka Rakyat event,”
Rafizi said in the statement.
“PKR will continue to bring the good news of Bersih 3.0 to the people
with regard to the peoples’ uprising. The date April 28, 2012 will be
forever marked as Merdeka Rakyat (people’s independence),” he added.
The opposition and Bersih hailed the rally as a success after tens of
thousands gathered in the capital for free and fair elections within
the Dataran Merdeka vicinity despite police’s warning.
The rally was peaceful until the police fired tear gas and water
cannons after some demonstrators breached the barricades in front of the
square, which the court had barred the public from entering.
In the ensuing fracas, scores were injured including two police
officers. There were also cases of assault against the media said to be
perpetrated by both the police and the protesters.
Both rally organisers and the authorities blamed each other for the
clash. Bersih 3.0 leaders said the violence was prompted by the police
while the government maintained that the men in blue had acted in
self-defence after the crowd turned unruly.
Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak said Bersih had failed to keep its
promise of a peaceful assembly and said the fracas could have been
avoided if the organisers had agreed to move the rally to Stadium
Merdeka.
This morning, the prime minister claimed that the protest, which also
called for the resignation of the EC top brass, was aimed at toppling
the government.
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