Art Harun reports for duty as new EC chairman

PUTRAJAYA: Newly-appointed Election Commission chairman Azhar Harun, or better known as Art Harun, clocked in for duty on Friday (Sept 28), ahead of a hectic schedule.

Azhar's immediate agenda is to oversee the nomination process for the Port Dickson by-election.

"Port Dickson is an ordinary by-election, but extra attention is given to it because of the personalities involved.

"In fact, not only the whole country is paying attention. It is also attracting attention internationally.

"My aim is to ensure that the Port Dickson by-election is a clean and fair one. It may be my first day at work, but the EC officers have already started work and we will do our best to achieve this aim," said Azhar at a press conference here on Friday.

Nomination for the Port Dickson by-election is on Saturday (Sept 29), while polling has been set for Oct 13.

The by-election was called after its incumbent Datuk Danyal Balagopal Abdullah from PKR relinquished his seat, to pave way for his party's president-elect Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to return to Parliament.

On Azhar's first day, the commission is also faced with a lawsuit filed by a Port Dickson constituent, who is challenging Danyal's resignation in the High Court.

Meanwhile, Azhar said he will be meeting with the Election Reforms Committee soon to discuss the 15 reforms proposed by the committee.

The committee is chaired by former EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman.

"These past two or three months, the country has been talking about election reform. I will be meeting with Tan Sri Rashid and we will work together to achieve the reforms.

"This is not saying that the EC is in a bad state. It is not, but if we can, we should elevate it to an international level and of universal standards," Azhar added.