Penang-based social reform movement Aliran has urged the Election Commission (EC) and the King to remove obstacles stopping four prominent opposition leaders from contesting in the general election.

Aliran president P Ramakrishnan said the EC should retract its earlier decision to bar Keadilan vice-president Azmin Ali, Youth chief Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor and Wanita deputy chief Irene Fernandez from contesting due to their respective criminal convictions.

He also appealed for a royal pardon from the King to DAP leader Lim Guan Eng who was disqualified as an MP in 1998 after being convicted and jailed under the Sedition and Printing Presses and Publications Act.

"Aliran is dumbfounded by the ruling of the EC (to bar the Keadilan trio). Many thinking Malaysians would view this decision as doing a big favour for the Barisan Nasional and making a mockery of natural justice.

"The laws of the land state that a person is innocent until he has exhausted all legal remedies available to him under the law. Until then, he doesn't lose his rights," said Ramakrishnan in a statement.

Najib's relief

According to him, the EC's move is akin to confiscating the trio's rights before the legal process is allowed to run its course.

"Why is it that only contesting candidates in an election are deprived of this due process of the law and disqualified immediately after their initial conviction?

"It is of little comfort to be told of the existence of the law prohibiting their participation in the election. It is a bad law which is anti-democratic and immoral," he said.

Through its actions, Ramakrishnan said the EC has also tipped the scales in favour of certain BN candidates, namely Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, whose home seat in Pekan had been picked out as a possible battle ground for Ezam.

"Ezam's threat to take on Najib, who escaped by the skin of his teeth in the last elections has been effectively removed by the EC. With this ruling, the DPM will be able to breathe a little easier and sleep a little longer," he said.

In the last elections, Najib won his seat by a wafer-thin majority of 241 votes. Ho garnered 13,148 votes as opposed to PAS candidate Ramli Mohamed's 12,907.

Model MP

Meanwhile, Ramakrishnan said the King should also consider Lim's appeal for clemency in view of the latter's exemplary track record as a member of Parliament.

"Lim was a model member of Parliament who had worked tirelessly for the common good of the society. Malaysians remember how he crossed the ethnic barrier to take up the cudgel on behalf of someone from another community. It was this episode that had cost him his career and consequently he had to pay a heavy price," he said.

Lim had accused former Melaka chief minister Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik of having sex with an under-aged girl. Upon his conviction, he served an 18-month jail sentence.

Unless he receives the King's pardon, he will only be able to contest in elections after Aug 25 this year.

Ramakrishnan said Lim should no longer be "punished" as had already served his jail term and sacrificed his career as a qualified accountant.

"After serving his sentence, he could not earn a living as a qualified accountant, he was barred from standing for election in 1999, he will again be barred from taking part in the upcoming elections if no pardon is forthcoming.

"In the eyes of many, it is indeed a very severe and vindictive punishment," he said.

Lim entered his first pardon petition in 1998 to the Melaka state governor but his request was rejected.

According to Ramakrishnan, Lim's first was supported by 300,000 signatures from the public.

"There is overwhelming evidence that there is widespread support for clemency. It is obvious that Lim enjoys the sympathies of millions of Malaysians," he said.