The Election Commission (EC) should set up an all-party review committee with representation from non-governmental organisations to ensure a clean, free and fair election system, an opposition leader said today.

DAP chairman Lim Kit Siang said in a press statement that the EC's review of the election laws should not be a "secretive" one where the will and wishes of the ruling parties could be communicated through some government representatives.

"As Article 114(2) provides for an independent EC which 'enjoys public confidence', it must not be subservient to any political party, whether in power or opposition, and operate with full openness, transparency and accountability at equal arms' length with all political parties," Lim said.

He added that among the matters which should be the subject of the review were the clean-up of the electoral roll by removing phantom voters and the elimination of postal ballot abuses.

Effective safeguards, backed by sanctions of the law, he said, were also necessary to curb money politics, unfair mass media coverage and abuses of government machinery and resources.

Government directive

Lim was commenting on EC chairman Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman's statement in a special interview with the New Straits Times last Friday that a committee which included officials from the Attorney-General's chambers has been formed after the last general elections in 1999 to review and amend 10 election laws.

Rashid was also quoted as saying that a new system of voter registration will be implemented next year, enabling eligible Malaysians to register as voters on any working day at designated authorised places.

He added that the entire process will be shortened to three months and it was the government which had directed the EC to expedite the process.

Lim, however, expressed caution against the proposed system, adding that Rashid should explain why the system could not be introduced this year itself, and why it should take three months before an eligible Malaysian becomes a qualified voter.

"He should also respond to why the Commission must act on the 'directive' of the government to 'expedite these processes' when it should be independent, receiving inputs from all political parties and interested NGOs and not be subservient to the ruling coalition of the day," Lim said.