The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections, also known as Bersih, is urging all contenders running for the prime minister post to commit to multi-partisan governance.

In a statement today, the electoral watchdog said that this move was necessary to pursue “political stability”.

“The endless political machination due to winner-takes-all politics in a de facto hung parliament for the past one and a half years must now end to enable a more effective governance of health and economy,” said Bersih in its statement.

Bersih claimed that in order to fulfill Article 43(2)(a) of the Federal Constitution, a coalition government or a minority government with unambiguous support from enough opposition MPs on Confidence and Supply Agreements (CSAs) may be formed.

Article 43(2)(a) dictates that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong must act in his discretion to appoint an MP who is likely to command the majority support of the Dewan Rakyat.

“To ensure broad-based support for government policies, even if the new government has a simple majority on its own, it should reach out to the official opposition and other opposition parties to negotiate conditional support on CSAs,” added Bersih.

The group had also said that in formulating a cross-party agreement committing as many parties and MPs as possible, outgoing prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s recent 7-point reform plan can serve as a good reference for institutional reforms when negotiating conditional support on the CSAs.

Bersih’s statement - which is endorsed by groups such as Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (Abim) and Gabungan Bertindak Malaysia (GBM) among others - follows Muhyiddin’s resignation today after 17 months in office, alongside the resignation of his cabinet.

He cited his administration’s loss of majority support in Parliament as a reason for his resignation.

The ongoing political crisis opens up a vacuum for the top post, with MPs such as outgoing deputy prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob looking to contend in the race to become the country’s next prime minister.

On Aug 13, Muhyiddin appealed to the opposition by offering a number of institutional reforms to back him in a now discontinued confidence vote.

These proposed measures include the implementation of Undi18 without waiting for automatic registration, term limits for prime ministers and an “anti-hopping” law among others.

In the same statement today, Bersih proposed ten of its own proposals to be considered in a cross-party stability pact which is to be covered by various CSAs between the new government and the opposition parties.

The electoral watchdog proposed among others:

  • A tripartite federal-state council (FSC) with equal representation from the federal government, opposition, the 13 state governments, and experts to coordinate key decisions on the pandemic and economy.

  • Term limit for the prime minister.

  • A cabinet manual codifying constitutional conventions and governmental operations such as government formation and caretaker government.

  • Various parliamentary reforms

  • Reform of Attorney-General Chambers (AGC), Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and Inland Revenue Board (IRB) to end selective prosecution and conflict of interest.

  • Measures to advance voters’ supremacy such as the immediate implementation of Undi18, automatic voter registration, and expansion of absentee voting facilities.

  • A Political Financing Act.

  • A transfer of power in registering and regulating political parties

  • Ground works for medium-term reforms.

  • A fixed term Parliament Act

The group said that the 10-point cross-party political stability pact can also be a feature in the upcoming Royal Address to unite Malaysians of all backgrounds to “save lives and livelihoods”.

“We urge all contenders for the office of prime minister to commit to offer a vision of multi-partisan governance for all Malaysians, and not just horse-trading over numbers and positions.

“A short-sighted and self-serving government that perpetuates political stability would be ruthlessly punished by voters in the next election,” said Bersih.

 

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