PARLIAMENT | The issue of setting up a tribunal to investigate allegations plaguing the Election Commission no longer arises, given that five of its commissioners have resigned, Liew Vui Keong said.

The minister in the Prime Minister's Department said this during a question-and-answer session with Khoo Poay Tiong (Harapan-Kota Melaka) in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Khoo had asked the prime minister to explain the setting up of the tribunal, as had been reported by Malaysiakini on Oct 17.

According to the report, the tribunal, comprising several former Federal Court judges, will investigate purported misconduct by the EC and some of its commissioners, particularly in the running of the 14th general election.

Five members of the EC have since shortened their tenures and will vacate their positions on Jan 1, 2019.

This includes deputy chief commissioner Othman Mahmood, as well as commissioners Md Yusof Mansur, Abdul Aziz Khalidin, Sulaiman Narawi and Leo Chong Cheong. The sole member who refused to quit was K Bala Singam.

Elaborating further, Liew, who is in charge of law, said the setting up of the tribunal was only reported by the media, but the EC itself was, thus far, not involved in the matter.

"For the time being, based on the latest development with the resignations of the EC members, the setting up of the tribunal does not arise any longer."

Confident of reform

Responding to this, Khoo (photo) said the resignations of the five EC members do not address the "main issues", which involve the accountability of the commission.

He questioned that if a tribunal was not in the pipeline, perhaps a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI), or other steps could be taken to study the various allegations surrounding the EC prior to GE14, including electoral manipulation, redelineation, malapportionment, phantom voters and the abuse of postal votes.

In reply, Liew said the government was confident the EC was undergoing reform under its newly appointed chairperson Azhar Harun.

"As the YB already knows, with the appointment of the new chairperson and the shortening of tenure of the EC commissioners, we understand that the EC is under a process of rejuvenation.

"I am confident he (Azhar) will help improve the commission and give ideas to reform the EC.

"As for the other issues brought up by YB, they have already been deliberated and debated in this House. I'm sure such issues (if they resurface) can be handled by the new chairperson and new commissioners," Liew said.

He further dismissed the need for an RCI, as the issues raised could be settled by the EC itself, or in court.