The Election Commission chairman should have resigned after the most shameful general election in 2004.

The fact that he has been involved in six general elections does not reflect well on accusations of partiality, lack of transparency and ineffective control of the Election Commission over media and blatant misuse of government machinery and facilities by ministers and so on.

One of the ways of checking malpractices is not to allow a person to be in charge for too long, in case he knows all the tricks too well and able to cover his tracks in helping the ruling party. Accusations abound and yet during the lull period, there is no action to spur any improvements like automatic voter registration, elimination of phantom voters, use of immigrants as voters, especially in Sabah, and so on.

If he is really disappointed with the present system, he should take proactive steps to improve it. If the ruling government is not serious on those proposals, then resign as a matter of principle.

I still cannot get over the Kuala Terengganu election in which there were over 10,000 spoilt votes and the majority was only over 1,000.

In a recent news report, he seemed to express hopelessness over some unfair practices. His defeatist attitude is not enough for a person in charge of such an important position, one that can practically decide who or which party rules a state or country.

Take the recent by-election in Pengkalan Pasir in Kelantan. What business has the PM, DPM and other ministers in that constituency during the campaign period? Even if there is official business, surely it can be arranged for the visits to be paid, after the election.

Can any one of the ministers claim that he went there as president, deputy president and so on, of whichever party, and that he is traveling in his private or party vehicle?