The EC is tasked with ensuring clean and fair elections, while Bersih is basically an election watchdog to ensure EC's role has been fair when carrying out its duties.
As a layman and voter, I used to see the PM visiting EC office just before a general election, which is not surprising because EC is under the PM's Department. But it sure does not help in giving the right image of its independence to the voters.
Clean and fair election is paramount in any democracy because those elected will be in charge of a country's administration. It can only be expected that the burden of independence on EC is more onerous than that of Bersih. Whether Bersih is independent or not, it can only affect its watchdog role, and not the elections. Whether Bersih is independent would depend largely on its demands for clean and fair elections. Instead of meeting the reasonable demands of Bersih, EC seems more concerned about Bersih's independence. Surely, it is more important for EC to ensure its independence than to be concerned about others.
EC chief: Is Bersih non-partisan?
'PUTRAJAYA, Sept 4 ― The Election Commission (EC) said today it is willing with Bersih 2.0 only if the group proves that they were non-partisan in their reform demands.
“We don't know what is it that is dirty? There is nothing dirty, just a perception. Is Bersih themselves clean, are they independent?
“Can you say Bersih is independent, think for yourself. What they say and how they behave. See the statements they make,” EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof told reporters after launching EC's 58th anniversary celebrations.
Abdul Aziz maintained that the commission was interested in working together with the Bersih 2.0 in the upcoming Sarawak state elections if they group proved to be non-partisan.
“No problem as long as they follow the law. If they are clean and not picking any side, there is no problem,” he explained further.
Bersih 2.0 have been demanding free and clean elections since the group's first rally.'
- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/ec-chief-is-bersih-non-partisan#sthash.MT4uHNGz.dpuf
The above statement goes to show that EC is too bias towards the ruling BN that it felt their demands were too pro-opposition!
According to Wikipedia:
'The Election Commission of Malaysia (Malay: Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya Malaysia (SPR)) is a commission set up for the purpose of regulating and conducting elections in Malaysia. Its establishment is mandated by Article 114 of the Constitution of Malaysia. The Election Commission falls under the purview of the Prime Minister's Department.[1]'
More:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election_Commission_of_Malaysia
While Bersih is...
'The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Malay: Gabungan Pilihanraya Bersih dan Adil) or Bersih (meaning clean in Malay) is a coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) which seeks to reform the current electoral system in Malaysia to ensure free, clean and fair elections. It was officially formed on 23 November 2006 as a joint communiqué that comprised leaders from political parties, civil society groups and NGOs.[1] Bersih accused the Election Commission under Prime Minister's Department [2] for manipulating the electoral process to give an unfair advantage to the ruling National Front coalition. Bersih claimed that the electoral roll was marred by irregularities such as gerrymandering, phantom voters, malapportionment and postal vote frauds.[citation needed] On 10 November 2007, Bersih organised the first rally with 10,000 to 40,000 turnout and held a public demonstration at Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur. Supporters of Bersih were urged to wear yellow T-shirts as a symbol of protest. The rally was often credited for the shift in political landscape in 2008 general election, when the incumbent National Front coalition failed to obtain a two-thirds supermajority for the first time since 1969.
In April 2010, the coalition was relaunched as an entirely civil society movement ("Bersih 2.0") unaffiliated to any political party. On 19 June 2011, former president of the Bar Council, Dato' Ambiga Sreenevasan became the chairperson of the coalition. In 2011 and 2012, two more rallies (Bersih 2.0 and Bersih 3.0) were organised seeing that the demands for the electoral reforms have not been met by the Electoral Commission.'
More:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bersih
Link
As a layman and voter, I used to see the PM visiting EC office just before a general election, which is not surprising because EC is under the PM's Department. But it sure does not help in giving the right image of its independence to the voters.
Clean and fair election is paramount in any democracy because those elected will be in charge of a country's administration. It can only be expected that the burden of independence on EC is more onerous than that of Bersih. Whether Bersih is independent or not, it can only affect its watchdog role, and not the elections. Whether Bersih is independent would depend largely on its demands for clean and fair elections. Instead of meeting the reasonable demands of Bersih, EC seems more concerned about Bersih's independence. Surely, it is more important for EC to ensure its independence than to be concerned about others.
EC chief: Is Bersih non-partisan?
'PUTRAJAYA, Sept 4 ― The Election Commission (EC) said today it is willing with Bersih 2.0 only if the group proves that they were non-partisan in their reform demands.
“We don't know what is it that is dirty? There is nothing dirty, just a perception. Is Bersih themselves clean, are they independent?
“Can you say Bersih is independent, think for yourself. What they say and how they behave. See the statements they make,” EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof told reporters after launching EC's 58th anniversary celebrations.
Abdul Aziz maintained that the commission was interested in working together with the Bersih 2.0 in the upcoming Sarawak state elections if they group proved to be non-partisan.
“No problem as long as they follow the law. If they are clean and not picking any side, there is no problem,” he explained further.
Bersih 2.0 have been demanding free and clean elections since the group's first rally.'
- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/ec-chief-is-bersih-non-partisan#sthash.MT4uHNGz.dpuf
The above statement goes to show that EC is too bias towards the ruling BN that it felt their demands were too pro-opposition!
According to Wikipedia:
'The Election Commission of Malaysia (Malay: Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya Malaysia (SPR)) is a commission set up for the purpose of regulating and conducting elections in Malaysia. Its establishment is mandated by Article 114 of the Constitution of Malaysia. The Election Commission falls under the purview of the Prime Minister's Department.[1]'
More:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election_Commission_of_Malaysia
While Bersih is...
'The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Malay: Gabungan Pilihanraya Bersih dan Adil) or Bersih (meaning clean in Malay) is a coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) which seeks to reform the current electoral system in Malaysia to ensure free, clean and fair elections. It was officially formed on 23 November 2006 as a joint communiqué that comprised leaders from political parties, civil society groups and NGOs.[1] Bersih accused the Election Commission under Prime Minister's Department [2] for manipulating the electoral process to give an unfair advantage to the ruling National Front coalition. Bersih claimed that the electoral roll was marred by irregularities such as gerrymandering, phantom voters, malapportionment and postal vote frauds.[citation needed] On 10 November 2007, Bersih organised the first rally with 10,000 to 40,000 turnout and held a public demonstration at Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur. Supporters of Bersih were urged to wear yellow T-shirts as a symbol of protest. The rally was often credited for the shift in political landscape in 2008 general election, when the incumbent National Front coalition failed to obtain a two-thirds supermajority for the first time since 1969.
In April 2010, the coalition was relaunched as an entirely civil society movement ("Bersih 2.0") unaffiliated to any political party. On 19 June 2011, former president of the Bar Council, Dato' Ambiga Sreenevasan became the chairperson of the coalition. In 2011 and 2012, two more rallies (Bersih 2.0 and Bersih 3.0) were organised seeing that the demands for the electoral reforms have not been met by the Electoral Commission.'
More:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bersih
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