‘Malacca Challenge’ - Bersih proposes agendas for polls candidates

The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) has urged contesting candidates and political parties in the upcoming Malacca state election to introduce an array of reforms promising post-election stability and accountability through institutional reform.

Through the "Malacca Challenge", Bersih proposed that candidates include anti-hopping laws, a confirmatory vote of confidence as well as a constructive vote of no confidence in their manifestos during the campaign period.

Bersih chairperson Thomas Fann (above) said the memorandum signed between the federal government and Pakatan Harapan was not enough to stabilise the country’s political situation unless reforms were institutionalised as law at federal or state levels.

“This is the seventh change of state-level government since the Sheraton Move. Even at the federal level, we had three prime ministers within a three-year period.

“These situations shouldn’t keep happening, we need a solution where important reforms are established as soon as possible.

“Bersih has done a lot of research and reports to handle this issue because (otherwise) our weak political system will continue and the victims will be the rakyat and the voters,” Fann said in an online press conference via Zoom today.

He said if the candidates in the upcoming election were serious about the interest of the rakyat and restoring political stability, they needed to pledge, in their manifestos, their promises to amend or enact certain laws within the state constitution.

The "Malacca Challenge" addresses certain legal issues, including:

1. Anti-hopping laws and political accountability - to strengthen voter supremacy.
2. Amend the state constitution and state legislative assembly meeting rules to mandate a confirmatory vote of confidence for chief ministers following their appointment - to strengthen the legitimacy of their position.
3. Amend the state constitution and DUN meeting rules to mandate a no-confidence vote, stipulating that a chief minister may not be ousted without a vote.
4. Enact a law on Constituency Development Funds (CDF) to ensure equal and fair CDF allocation to all elected government and opposition representatives
5. Reform the state assembly to make it completely independent from the executive by determining state assembly agendas through inter-party discussions and not by the head of the house, and establishing more select committees with representative compositions.

Meanwhile, Bersih representative and political analyst Wong Chin Huat stressed the importance of a confirmatory vote of confidence and a no-confidence vote in stabilising the political situation.

“If a head of government gets his or her vote of confidence, that is like having a vaccine. It will protect the government for a few months from any challenges because the confidence of the legislature has been proven.

“[…] We want to strengthen the hand of the executive in this case. We want to pick out any doubt that you may not have a majority by proactively tabling a motion of confidence - you strengthen your position.

“You deny your opponents for challenging (and) questioning the confidence of the house in you for a couple of months, or maybe a year,” he said.

Fann added that Bersih was willing to advise and provide technical assistance to any political party that intended to bring these agendas forward in their manifesto.

He also urged all parties taking up the "Malacca Challenge" to sign a Healthy Competition Agreement to promise their readiness to accept the rakyat’s decision on polling day as well as to not urge opposition party assemblypersons to defect. 

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