EC urged to overcome unfair election campaigns
Several opposition parties, frustrated by the unfair campaign practices of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, want the Election Commission (EC) to set up an all-party committee to ensure free, fair and clean elections.
They also requested the EC to study the possibility of setting up a register for political campaign donations, claiming that the BN candidate in last month's Ketari by-election might have spent at least RM20 million for campaign posters, banners and billboards
Among the issues raised at an EC meeting today were the media blackout of opposition campaigning and the overspending by candidates from BN on campaign materials in excess of the legal limit.
Although the Election Offences Act 1954 caps the campaign expenses at RM30,000 for a state and RM50,000 for a parliamentary seat, opposition parties claim that BN candidates splurge millions of ringgit using their party's name.
Existing election laws only regulate the conduct of candidates and not that of political parties.
Commission lacks enforcement powers
In conjunction with its open day, the EC today convened a meeting to discuss matters pertaining to the conduct of elections, including the campaign period, with representatives of all political parties.
At the two-hour session at the EC office in Putrajaya, the first such meeting in recent years, DAP vice-chairperson Dr Tan Seng Giaw proposed for an all-party committee to provide input on ways to regulate, monitor and review laws governing the electoral process.
"For example, we want the EC to study ways to establish a register for political donations and monitor campaign spending to ensure fair, clean and democratic elections because as long as the ruling party secretly obtains massive campaign donations, we cannot expect such elections."
In response, EC chairperson Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman pointed to the EC's lack of enforcement powers, although he said the recent amendments have given it the power to determine the mode of campaigning.
"We cannot act in matters which fall outside our jurisdiction because during an election, other laws such as the Broadcasting Act and the Police Act are also enforced.
"But what we will do is communicate to the ruling coalition on where to draw the line. While we cannot stop them from fully broadcasting their campaign, we will ensure that a limit is imposed on the use of the media as a campaign tool," he said.
Visibly upset
However, assistant minister in the Sarawak Chief Minister's Office Bolhassan Di was visibly upset over the opposition proposal and retorted that he would not attend anymore dialogues if the EC was considering an all-party committee.
"Why should any party in power compromise on air-time or media coverage during elections? If there is such a committee, I will certainly not attend," he said.
This led DAP's Tan to respond by saying that the proposals were only to ensure a free and fair elections.
"If the BN wants more than half the air-time, we understand because it is the ruling coalition in power but we don't even have any air-time at all," he said.
At this juncture, Abdul Rashid quickly intervened to explain that while the ruling BN has the whole government machinery at its disposal, as was the case in most countries, there were still some ruling parties who handled their monopolies in a more rational manner.
For example, he said, some developed countries have a designated TV channel established solely for the purpose of airing election campaigns of political parties which can afford the air-time.
"Such a channel should be allowed here. If anyone wants to do this, I'll be supportive of it, but I don't know whether our broadcasting laws regarding such an idea," he said, adding that the EC was keen to create a system which was fair to all political players.
Tarnished image
Keadilan secretary-general Sahri Bahri said there was nothing to stop the EC from setting up an all-party committee or call for dialogue sessions even if there was no specific provision for it.
He said the EC's image was already tarnished by the fact that several Keadilan leaders currently detained under the Internal Security Act 1960 were prevented from being physically present at the ground despite being eligible to be nominated.
"The all-party committee is very important as it can also provide much-needed input when amending election laws, and it will help enhance the EC's credibility."
Echoing the views espoused by Tan and Sahri on the all-party committee, DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang said the setting up should be expedited in time to discuss the Election Offences (Amendment) Bill 2002 deferred to June.
"Such a committee could ensure that the bill does not institutionalise and legalise electoral abuses and malpractices, particularly money politics, or criminalise free and fair campaigning so that public confidence can be restored."
Lim also proposed a six-month nationwide clean-up operation of the electoral roll and called for an open and transparent redelineation exercise scheduled for this year.
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