PSC REPORT The parliamentary select committee (PSC) on electoral reform has agreed that there should be a clear guideline on the role of a caretaker government whenever Parliament is dissolved.

It has therefore given the Election Commission (EC) three months from today to come up with a guideline and code of conduct for a caretaker government at both federal and state levels.

The bipartisan panel also suggested that legislation be enacted to stipulate that Parliament can only be dissolved when it enters the fourth year of its five-year session.

This, it explained, would enable all quarters involved to prepare for the general election.

Currently, the prime minister has full freedom to determine the date for dissolution of Parliament.

azlan On the campaign period, the majority of the PSC members agreed that this should be for at least 10 days, so that the EC has adequate time to collect postal votes.

The decision was a result of a vote as the three opposition MPs - Anthony Loke (DAP-Rasah), Hatta Ramli (PAS-Kuala Krai) and Azmin Ali (PKR-Gombak) - had demanded a minimum of 21 days. This was also one of eight demands of electoral reform coalition Bersih 2.0.

“The committee takes note of the different view that a campaign period that is too long will cause difficulties for campaign activities in some parts of the general election, as well as raise the cost,” the report stated.

On the demand by Bersih 2.0 for all competing parties to have free and fair access to media, the report claimed that the Information, Communication and Culture Ministry is prepared to provide this.

In relation to this, the PSC said the EC should study Article 115(2) of the federal constitution, which requires public authorities to assist it in its duties.

The PSC was formed last October to study issues that will enhance the operations of the EC and to ensure a free and fair election process.

Apart from the opposition trio, the other members are Maximus Johnity Ongkili (chairperson, BN-Kota Marudu),  Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad (BN-Kangar), Fong Chan Onn (BN- Alor Gajah), Alexander Nanta Linggi (BN-Kapit), P Kamalanathan (BN-Hulu Selangor) and Wee Choo Keong (Independent-Wangsa Maju).

After holding six public hearings and obtaining feedback from 106 registered organisations and individuals, the committee presented an interim report with 10 recommendations last December.

NONE Its 73-page final report lists 22 recommendations.

It suggested giving the EC its own budget and allowing it to report directly to Parliament, in order to strengthen it's independence,

The report also proposed a service commission for the EC to appoint its own officers, and a special service scheme for its officers and members.

As a long-term measure, the PSC suggested separating the three main functions of the EC - to conduct an election, to manage voter registration, and to study voting constituencies.

These functions should be undertaken by three independent bodies, said the report.

On political funding, the report supported the proposal for state funding.

It suggested that the government drafts an appropriate formula to distribute state funds to political parties based on two equal factors - the number of seats won and share of the popular vote.

However it stressed that the proposal cannot be implemented in the near future, and that the mechanism and implementation must be studied thoroughly.

Other recommendations include:

- Strengthening the election academy by increasing its human resources and funding, as well as forming an advisory board comprising representatives of political parties and NGOs

- Studying the proposal to balance the number of seats in the Dewan Rakyat between the peninsula and Sabah and Sarawak, with reference to provisions by the Inter-Government Committee, prepared during the forming of Malaysia

- Reviewing the 13th Schedule of the federal constitution to give real meaning to the principle of 'one person, one vote' and revive rural weightage in the delineation of constituencies, as well as producing a fair and just formula to ensure that the number of voters in any constituency does not vary too much from others in the same state

- Detailing the proposal to improve the current election system of 'first past the post', or to study any other election system such as 'proportionate representation' or the integration of both. 

Click here to read all 22 recommendations in the PSC report.

 

NONE