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351737
Thu, 12/18/2014 - 12:05
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High-Ranking M'sian Delegation To Monitor Uzbekistan's Parliamentary Elections

By Nor Faridah Abd Rashid KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18 (Bernama) -- The Uzbekistan Parliamentary Elections will see the largest number of high-ranking Malaysians participating as observers to monitor the 2014 elections due on Dec 21, Uzbekistan Ambassador to Malaysia, Murad Askarov said. “There will be six observers this time, as compared to about three or four invited previously. It will be the biggest delegation compared to the previous ones,” he told Bernama. Askarov said the delegation would be led by Malaysia's Election Commission (EC) Deputy Chairman Mohd Hashim Abdullah. The other members of the delegation are the EC's former deputy chairman, Wan Ahmad Wan Omar, who is currently special officer at the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, and EC division secretary (data analyst) Syed Ahmad Bashah Syed Anwar. Malay Businessmen and Industrialists Association of Malaysia (Perdasama) president Moehamad Izat Emir, senior lawyer and Gandhi Memorial Trust Malaysia chairman S. Radhakrishnan and Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute Senior Vice-President Max Say will also be part of the delegation to monitor Uzbekistan’s most crucial political event this year. According to Radhakrishnan, over 250 observers from more than 40 countries, as well as international organisations have been invited to ensure the openness of the elections. Askarov said that in March next year, Uzbekistan would conduct the presidential elections, stressing that both elections were substantial as there had been changes made in Uzbekistan’s constitution where President Islam Karimov had given more powers to Parliament. “Parliament has more powers now, as compared to previously,” said the ambassador. The term of office of the parliament is five years. According to the Central Election Commission (CEC) Uzbekistan, the country’s population stands at 31 million people and over 20 million of them are eligible voters. Meanwhile, the Uzbek Embassy held a colourful reception Wednesday night on the occasion of the 22nd anniversary of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, which coincided with the forthcoming parliamentary elections. Apart from high commissioners and ambassadors, members of the Malaysian delegation, namely Mohd Hashim, Syed Ahmad Bashah, Radhakrishnan and Max Tay also attended the event and shared views on the upcoming elections. -- BERNAMA

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