"We don't consult Bersih, I don't know who is Bersih ... [sic] ”

This was the response of Minister in Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz when asked to comment on the NGO coalition’s demands for two reports from the proposed parliamentary select committee on electoral reform.

NONE Nazri ( left ) hit out at Bersih 2.0, saying it has no reason to issue ultimatums, including setting deadlines, to the government in determining the select committee’s work.

“... As I said earlier, we will hold public hearings. During the hearings, they like anybody else, members of the public, they can come and give their views,” he told journalists at the Parliament lobby today.

“We don't just consult them, we consult other members of the public who have something to contribute. Because they are nothing special, there is no reason they should set an ultimatum because it is not for them to tell us what to do.”

Yesterday, members of the Bersih 2.0 steering committee had said the select panel’s first report on immediate reforms should be issued within three months, followed by another within a year. It also outlined the areas for reform.

EC and cabinet to decide PSC framework

The framework of the proposed committee, Nazri said, will be decided once he has discussed it with the Election Commission (EC) and it is approved by the cabinet.

“Based on procedures, the EC will prepare a memorandum with all its suggestions for forming the select committee to get an approval from the cabinet.

“When the memo has been agreed upon, we will inform Parliament of our decision then Parliament will take further action,” he said.

The minister also shot down suggestions that other parties including Bersih 2.0 be involved in determining the framework of the committee.

“If you want me to discuss with the others, why can’t (they) discuss with the EC? They (EC) are the body that is going to implement what we are going to do. Because they are the ones who are going to prepare the memorandum,” he said.

Among the issues that Nazri hopes the committee will cover in its proposed electoral reforms are a biometric or indelible ink system, advanced voting, overseas voting and the relevance of rallies during nomination day.

Najib, apologise to Bersih 2.0 first