Government sets up Electoral Reform Committee headed by Ab Rashid

PETALING JAYA: The Government has formed a special committee to review election laws and systems in Malaysia.

The brand new Electoral Reform Committee (ERC) is chaired by former Election Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri Ab Rashid Ab Rahman (pic), said the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in a statement Thursday (Aug 16).

He will be aided by other committee members who are in the process of being identified.

“The ERC is being given two years to complete its duties, including coming up with a report and recommendations for the government to refine and implement.

“In the process of reviewing all aspects of election management, the ERC must consult and obtain feedback as well as suggestions from various parties, especially stakeholders including politicians, political parties, voters, NGOs and other parties,” said the PMO.

The relevant parties will be given opportunity and space to air their views and suggestions, it added.

The ERC will also review systems and best practices in other democratic nations which have reached a suitable standard and possess an election management system based on democratic principles accepted by all parties as “independent, fair, and transparent”.

The six terms of reference spelt out for the ERC include studying electoral and other laws that touch on the matters and processes of elections, as well as analysing the need to introduce an election system suitable with the demands of the social order (current needs of the people, politics, economic, socio-culture, and others).

The ERC will also make the necessary recommendations to establish laws that are up to the standards of election management at the international level and study the need to introduce laws, especially on the setting up of a caretaker government following the dissolution of Parliament and state assemblies.

The committee will study the need to have a law to empower the electoral management body to register and regulate political organisations and parties.

Lastly, the ERC will also form work committees as needed, including drafting election and other related laws after its report on election reforms have been accepted and approved by the government.