EC may give election watchdog second chance
EXCLUSIVE The Election Commission may reconsider re-accrediting Malaysians for Free Elections (Mafrel), which was dropped as an official election observer just before the Hulu Selangor by-election.
EXCLUSIVE The Election Commission (EC) may reconsider re-accrediting Malaysians for Free Elections (Mafrel), which was dropped as an official election observer just before the Hulu Selangor by-election.
According to the EC, Mafrel's accreditation was revoked over an alleged failure to hand over reports from the past nine by-elections.
EC chief Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said they were willing to give Mafrel a second chance and have requested a meeting with their officials.
“We have written to them… we were supposed to meet with them sooner, but we were held up with the Sibu by-election,” he said.
Mafrel received official accreditation in 2007 to observe the Machap by-election as the only independent observer to officially aid the EC in tackling election misconduct.
“I take note that the presence of national and international observers and its positive record will give legitimacy and credibility to an election,” said Abdul Aziz.
“However, the monitoring organisations, whether domestic or international, must be seen as unbiased and must conduct themselves professionally.”
Watchdog 'biased'
Abdul Aziz alleges that Mafrel tends to be “partisan”.
“We only required them to give us short reports with their findings after very election process, but till this day we haven’t received any," he said.
“We will accept their criticism if there are any, and if we to need to improve they can put their suggestions in a report, at least in a point format.
“But they straight away go to the media and give a press conference, instead of giving us any feedback.”
He says their unprofessional conduct has given EC “no choice but to ignore” their request to be reinstated.
Asked if the EC would consider engaging international observers to avoid partisan views, Abdul Aziz said: “As of now no international body has express interest to observe our election."
But he added that he welcomed assistance from international bodies since it would benefit the work of the EC.
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