Members from various civil society and non-governmental organisations today said they were harassed by Parliament security personnel when they attempted to send in a memorandum to a representative of the people in the august institution.

According to Suaram executive director Cynthia Gabriel, she and 10 others were confronted by security personnel at the entrance of the Parliament lobby and questioned about their presence and purpose in Parliament.

A few of us had gone in without any incident but some others were held up by the security personnel and questioned. They also told us not to distribute any pamphlets, Gabriel said.

The memorandum objecting to the proposed amendments to the Election Laws was endorsed by 24 organisations including Womens Candidacy Initiative, Womens Aid Organisation, the Womens Development Collective, All Women Action Society, the Group of Concerned Citizens, Hakam and Aliran.

DAP Seputeh MP Teresa Kok was scheduled to receive the memorandum but as she could not attend Parliament today DAP Kepong MP Tan Seng Giaw had to step in.

Gabriel said after delivering the memorandum, they held a press conference there, but were interrupted by another security personnel who said they needed permission to do so.

We told him that civil society must be given a voice. He softened a little but insisted that we finish in one minute and then told us that he would only be giving us five minutes, which would be final, she said.

No room for civil society

Gabriel said journalists covering the event were also harassed when the security personnel called them aside and told them to only report the parliamentary proceedings and not press conferences they were not assigned to.

They even reprimanded a journalist from Radiq Radio for wearing a visitors pass and not having a press card issued by the Information Ministry, she said.

The Radiq Radio journalist was forced to use a visitors pass when it was announced in Parliament today that only reporters with the press accreditation cards issued by the ministry will be allowed in.

Gabriel said events that transpired in Parliament today exhibited a lack of room for NGOs to present their views.

We were intimidated and not welcomed. There is no room for civil society.

Also, why is a security personnel giving orders to journalists as to what they can or cant report? she asked.

Phantom voters

Last August, a group of NGOs had objected to the proposed amendments for the Elections (Amendment) Bill.

Among others, it was proposed that a gazetted electoral would be deemed as being final and unchallengeable, that a complainant who objects to a name in the electoral roll without reasonable cause must pay the latter a sum of RM1,000 from RM200, and that a deposit of a candidate be raised from RM5,000 to RM20,000.

The announcement was made by Minister in the Prime Ministers Department Dr Rais Yatim following a judgment from the Sabah High Court that the Likas by-election was null and void after phantom voters were discovered in the electoral list.

The judgment prompted a by-election in Likas in July.

A statement released today jointly by the 24 NGOs said the proposed amendments were done without prior consultation of the public.

We regret that we have to reiterate our concerns in view of the fact that the concerns of civil society groups have been ignored and that no attempt has been made to consult with the public on grave matters of public interest.

We strongly demand that in the interest of a vibrant democracy, the proposed amendments be discarded altogether and that the Elections Commission rigorously seek public comment in order to maintain the high degree of transparency and integrity demanded of good governance, the statement said.

The proposed amendments were tabled for first reading in the Dewan Rakyat on March 20.