During a heated public forum today, Bersih 2.0 chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan challenged the Election Commission (EC) to form a committee comprising of representatives from all political parties and NGOs to look into electoral reform and come out with a proposal.

NONE “Maybe they will have three months to come out with a proposal on how to reform,” Ambiga ( left ) said to a round of cheering and applause from the floor during a forum with EC deputy chairperson Wan Ahmad Wan Omar in Shah Alam today.

The two-and-a-half-hour forum, titled ‘What's next after July 9', was organised by Kumpulan Karangkraf, a media organisation that publishes the Malay language daily Sinar Harian and a score of popular magazines.

The 600-strong audience was obviously annoyed by various statements made by Wan Ahmad and responded with boos and heckling throughout the forum.

Although the moderator Wan Saiful Wan Jan in a bid to defuse the heightening tension, said it was not necessary for Wan Ahmad to answer the challenge, the latter insisted.

He said the EC is always open to suggestion from political parties.

Later, during the press conference called after the forum, Wan Ahmad further said that the commission will discuss the proposal.

“We will continue our agenda to meet with political parties. It is our responsibility to receive responses and thoughts from all quarters,” he said.

During the forum, Ambiga also requested Wan Ahmad to reveal the proposed amendments submitted by the commission to the government on elections and relevant laws.

We will fight with you, Ambiga tells EC

“The EC should disclose what are the amendments. We will support and fight with you,” she said.

NONE However, Wan Ahmad ( right ) responded that the EC needs to observe the laws including the Official Secret Act which prohibits the dissemination of certain information.

“When we say cannot, you should understand,” he said.

During the press conference, Wan Ahmad refused to confirm whether the amendments forwarded to the government include the eight demands raised by Bersih 2.0.

“I cannot answer specifically but the EC did not keep quiet. Don’t assume that the EC did not talk or tell the story, or did nothing,

“No, we studied and we made proposals. We have a legal unit which discussed with the Attorney-General’s Chamber on issues that we will submit to them.”

In another related development, Ambiga revealed that the Bersih 2.0 memorandum which listed all the eight demands, had been submitted to the palace 10 days ago.

Bersih 2.0 was supposed to submit the memorandum to Agung on July 9 but was blocked by the police.