your say 'Indeed the EC can, and have, sufficient powers to conduct fair and free elections, only if they are sincere and impartial.'

EC deputy chief booed in debate with Ambiga

Abil: With all due respect, Election Commission deputy chairperson Wan Ahmad Wan Omar is however wrong to push EC's responsibilities to the attorney-general, claiming that they do not have enforcement powers.

There are sufficient laws for the EC to be independent and carry out their responsibilities fairly as in any other democratic country. For long the EC has been a stooge of BN and does bidding of BN.

EC can, and have, sufficient powers to conduct fair and free elections, only if they are sincere and impartial.

JBGUY: The ball is now in AG's court but wait a minute, the AG is known to move goal-posts in the middle of the game. He has been alleged to have received a free Haj trip apart from various allegations of impropriety.

So Mr PM, will you do the right thing and make the amendments to the election laws to ensure a fair and free election. We know that had there been fair and free elections in 2008, Pakatan Rakyat would have been in Putrajaya.

Saengch: The deputy EC chief deserves praise for having the courage to show up. Let him speak. Booing him may not be fair.

We need to be less emotional or we will go down the Thai and Filipino path of missing democratic opportunities for decades, even after the fall of corrupt regimes because they were too swayed by personalities, demagogy and populist emotions of the day.

Black Mamba: Wan Ahmad deserved to be booed as his words and action have not seen him to be unbiased but a lackey of BN.

We don't need subservient man like him in an institution that is supposed to be neutral. We need fearless men of integrity, who can stand firm on their beliefs rather than taking orders from a ruling government - men who don't depend on their position for a livelihood but who serve the people because they believe in justice, dignity, fair play and good governance.

Lynn: Although I'm a Bersih supporter, I think the childish heckling and booing has made us lose the moral high ground. How will we be able to demand for the government to engage us in an intelligent debate when we act no better than the mat rempits and hooligans.

Come on guys, we need to be better than them. Please. I have never been more ashamed.

EFF: While I disagree with booing on principle (there's little achieved from it and it isn't in good taste), I can understand why they did it. It wasn't just that the EC deputy chief was stating opposing views; he was - without fail - insulting the audience's intelligence every time he spoke, not just by the illogical answers he sometimes gave, but directly.

Calling them "tidak waras" and asking them to "keluar dari bawah tempurung" was hardly gracious behaviour on his part. It was downright rude.

Why is it necessary to be so condescending? All due respect to him, but he could take lessons from S Ambiga and Prof Shamsul Amri Baharuddin on how to address questions, even ones you consider ‘stupid'.

Quigonbond: The fact that EC is debating Bersih already shows that it is an agency of the executive branch of this government.

Otherwise, if EC is really above the fray, it would have let the NGOs/politicians slug it out and then say it will consider all the suggestions and recommend to the government those reforms.

Even foreign missions now say that EC keeps saying it's ‘us in the government'. With this kind of mentality, it is hard to buy EC's story that it is impartial.

Kgen: EC is clearly biased to help BN win. Why the huge number of phantom voters on the rolls? Why the refusal to use indelible ink? Why so much shenanigans with postal votes?

Why aren't overseas Malaysians allowed to vote but government-sponsored overseas students are allowed to do so? Why so many illegal immigrants on the rolls? If the elections are free and fair, BN won't dare to behave like a despot and we will have a real democracy.

MV: S Ambiga is a real idiot. What has this woman done for this country other than stirring up racial, religious and political controversies. The demand for free and fair elections is just an excuse to fool the people.

Bersih is all about ‘Omega' Anwar Ibrahim and his PAS cronies. Ambiga has done absolutely nothing for this nation.

Multi Racial: MV, by attempting to discredit and insult Ambiga, you are making yourself sounded like a real idiot. Please do not insult Malaysians intelligent.

You are free to have your own opinion but please do not call names and insult others. If you think you are right, convince us with facts and figures. We know you have nothing as they do not invent the term ‘empty vessel made the loudest noise' for nothing.

For your information, it does not mean the election is free and fair just because Pakatan won five states in 2008 election. Pakatan would have won more states and federal government if we have free and fair elections.

R Venugopal: EC, learn from the Election Commission of India where no nonsense is tolerated, whether the government or opposition.

Complaints were made to the EC, but no action taken. Why collect your salary if you do not have power to perform your duty in a free and fair manner? At least be God fearing and expose the truth.

Anonymous_5fb: As a referee, the EC's job is to ensure clean, free and fair elections. You are to ensure all rules are fair to all, that's the power you have to exercise.

But I am appalled that you (Wan Ahmad) said the EC has no power when even you seemed to be aware of the uneven playing field. Then what is EC for? A management body to ensure Umno win all elections?

Anonymous: The biometric reader will cost money to the rakyat. EC can use the ink that they bought for the last election. This is a cheaper solution. If the constitution needs to be amended, please work on it immediately.

WangMalaysia: EC is hell-bent on the biometric plan but my question is why? Coincidentally, Immigration is implementing a biometric plan for all illegal and legal foreign workers, and there are some two million of them. Why do I smell a rat?

Not Convinced: The EC has been giving us the nonsensical excuse that it had to call off the indelible ink at the last minute because some idiots could try to sabotage the 2008 general election by smearing ink on our fingers.

If indeed EC and police have credible information that such sabotage could take place, then all voters could be forewarned. I'm pretty sure we don't mind the inconvenience of wearing gloves to protect our right to vote, and be Michael Jackson for one day.

 

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