No Other Commission Needed To Ensure Clean General Election - Minister

KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 (Bernama) - The Malaysian government has no plans to set up another commission to ensure a clean general election as the Election Commission (EC) which existed since 1957 is sufficient. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz said EC has already proven its ability by conducting 12 general elections in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah and ten state elections in Sarawak. In addition, EC had also conducted 184 by-elections from February 1962 to March 2011. "The general elections or by-elections had been conducted well and the governments established after general elections were legitimate. "All parties accepted the results without questioning the validity, including 12th general election which saw the opposition winning five states," he said when winding up the motion of thanks for the royal address on behalf of the Prime Minister's Department here Thursday. Nazri said that as a country that practices parliamentary democracy, all parties are given the opportunity to give suggestions for the improvement of EC including laws and existing election regulations. Establishment of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on Electoral Reform is to make the election system more transparent and fair and show that the democratic system still exist and flourish in this country. "The committee is part of the survival and continuity of the parliamentary democracy tradition that has long been practised and the cooperation of political parties that represent the voice of Malaysians who seek consensus on improvements to be implemented before general election." Nazri said the ten proposals and recommendations tabled in parliament are specific, important and need urgent action and implementation by EC and the relevant agencies. "There are some things that have not been agreed and will be considered later. However, the resolution will be included in the final report. "EC is not only independent of the executive but also the legislative. We can give opinion and make proposal but ultimately, EC as an independent body will make its own decision. "We have to give them the freedom to make decisions," he added. -- BERNAMA