Bersih: Public perception is shaped by EC's conduct
Election Commission (EC) chief Mohd Hashim Abdullah should do well to look to the commission's own lack of transparency and reluctance to divulge vital information, before blaming the election body’s bad image on negative public perception, reminded electoral reform group Bersih.
Indeed, the group said, how the public sees the commission is directly influenced by how the EC has been performing its duty and responsibilities.
"Bersih also would like to remind Mohd Hashim that by simply blaming the EC’s bad image on a perception problem does not absolve them of responsibility and accountability - how the EC conducts themselves directly affects how the public perceives them," said the group in a statement.
Bersih said the EC’s negative image is rooted in its own actions over the years.
The group recounted the poser over the commission's latest proposed redelineation exercise, which has been criticised for seemingly going against provisions of the constitutions that empowers the EC to do so.
Election Commission (EC) chief Mohd Hashim Abdullah should do well to look to the commission's own lack of transparency and reluctance to divulge vital information, before blaming the election body’s bad image on negative public perception, reminded electoral reform group Bersih.
Indeed, the group said, how the public sees the commission is directly influenced by how the EC has been performing its duty and responsibilities.
"Bersih also would like to remind Mohd Hashim that by simply blaming the EC’s bad image on a perception problem does not absolve them of responsibility and accountability - how the EC conducts themselves directly affects how the public perceives them," said the group in a statement.
Bersih said the EC’s negative image is rooted in its own actions over the years.
The group recounted the poser over the commission's latest proposed redelineation exercise, which has been criticised for seemingly going against provisions of the constitutions that empowers the EC to do so.
Bersih noted that the present exercise did not hold to the "one person, one vote doctrine" with widespread malapportionment in the proposed redelineation, something that is not helped by the EC refusing to explain how it came to the new boundaries and voter reallocations.
Rampant errors in the electoral roll has become common knowledge over the years, claimed Bersih, with voters registered in the wrong voting district, or a different state altogether, as well as instances of repeated entries and phantom voters.
Bersih also pointed to the inefficient and obsolete voter registration system which contributed to the errors in the voter rolls.
But more seriously, the electoral reform group argued that the EC’s failure to enforce election laws has allowed bribery and corruption to go unchecked. The EC also has not recommended the “caretaker government code” which monitors the interim government for the duration of the elections.
"These discrepancies persist and cannot simply be explained away as a matter of perception," said Bersih.
And while it welcomes the EC’s plans to address this perception issue via media and videos, Bersih urged the commission to take further proactive steps and be more transparent in their administration.
