DAP parliamentarians and an independent election observer have slammed the federal government for not consulting the opposition in the appointment of Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof as the new Election Commission (EC) chairperson.

Penang Chief Minister and Bagan MP, Lim Guan Eng pointed out that views from the opposition should have been taken into account before a decision on such an important appointment was made.

"It's a democratic norm practiced in many democracies worldwide," he told journalists at his Komtar office in Georgetown yesterday.

abdul aziz mohd yusof Lim added that he was not surprised that the Umno-led Barisan Nasional government had acted so hastily in appointing the new EC chief ( left ) "because there has always been no democracy or lack of it under the current central governance".

He, however, hoped the new EC chief would be bold in carrying out much-needed electoral reforms, and maintain a fair, just, impartial, independent and non-partisan role in managing the country's elections.

"The new man helming the EC should make sure there are no money politics and vote-rigging in the electoral process," added Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general.

Home Ministry secretary-general Abdul Aziz, 58, will replace Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman, 66, whose term of service expires on Dec 30. Abdul Aziz is expected to helm the EC until he reaches the retirement age of 66.

The Sabak Bernam-born Abdul Aziz retired as the home ministry secretary-general on Jan 24, 2006 but was re-appointed to the post on a contract basis.

Lack of democratic courtesy

liew chin tong Although it is the prerogative of the government of the day to appoint the EC chief, Bukit Bendera MP Liew Chin Tong was disappointed that the Putrajaya administration had lacked basic democratic courtesy in listening to opposition views during the selection process.

He argued that consultation with the Pakatan Rakyat opposition front, which has more than a third of parliamentarians in the current mandate, was crucial in ensuring impartiality and bipartisanship.

"These are two imperative characteristic elements needed to manage the electoral process," he told Malaysiakini .

Pointing out that EC chairpersons in other democracies were usually former judges with impeccable integrity, Liew criticised the BN government for choosing a retired civil servant for such a momentous task.

Election watchdog, Malaysian for Free and Fair Elections (Mafrel) northern region co-ordinator BK Ong also questioned the government's wisdom in assigning a former civil servant to such an important post.

"The appointment of a civil servant, who had always been acted on orders from politicians, to helm a vital component of the nation's democratic system is highly questionable and susceptible," he said.

However, both Liew and Ong hoped that Abdul Aziz's appointment would signal a renaissance in the country's electoral system following the eight ‘disastrous' years under Abdul Rashid, which they claimed had made "Malaysia an international laughing stock".

abdul rashid ec chairman and indelible ink for election 010607 The out-going EC chief has come under heavy public criticism for various alleged failures and scandals, especially the poor handling of the 2004 general election and the eleventh-hour termination of the use of indelible ink in the last general election.