PRESS STATEMENT: EC CHAIRMAN MUST BE REMOVED FOR BLATANT SUPPORT FOR BARISAN NASIONAL AND REFERRING TO PAKATAN RAKYAT AS "THE ENEMY

PRESS STATEMENT

15 JULY 2010

EC CHAIRMAN MUST BE REMOVED FOR BLATANT SUPPORT FOR BARISAN NASIONAL AND REFERRING TO PAKATAN RAKYAT AS "THE ENEMY"

Pakatan Rakyat refers to the Elections Commission Chairman Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof’s recent interview titled “EC says elections not likely next year” in the Malaysian Insider on 13 July 2010.

Firstly, it is not the business of the EC Chairman to speculate about when polls will be called. That is the decision of the leaders of ruling governments of the day at both federal and state level.

Reading the interview as a whole, the EC chief has displayed a total lack of independence, competence and fairness that one would expect from him as the head of the Elections Commission. He has clearly shown not only his support but indeed partiality to the Najib Tun Razak’s government and UMNO and looked at his role as maintaining the status quo instead of conducting a free and fair election as required under the Federal Constitution and the law.

Pakatan Rakyat takes particular offence when he said:
“(The warnings by Umno leaders) are to ensure that we are always prepared to fight the enemy. We must always stay united and always implement programmes. We must have programmes, policies, and agendas,”

“If you ask me, this is only the first gear and we are now entering the second gear. There are five gears, so why the rush?” asked Abdul Aziz, adding that Najib’s administration was just beginning to “heat up”.

When talking about the Prime Minister’s “leadership” he is reported to have said “ It is becoming popular. When a song is becoming a hit, we should not cut it short. We should let people enjoy it”.
His constant reference to “we” meaning himself and the government/ UMNO clearly showed that he seems to think that he and the EC are part and parcel of the Barisan Nasional Government.

He also referred to Pakatan Rakyat as the “enemy” – an astonishing and shocking remark which again clearly pointed to the total absence of independence, competence and fairness that is expected from any staff in the EC, what more as the head of the EC.

In order to salvage whatever little public confidence left in the EC, Pakatan Rakyat calls for the EC chief’s immediate removal as obviously he is not a fit and proper person to hold such an important position after having displayed his blatant bias and support for the present government and UMNO.

Y.B. SIVARASA RASIAH
Member of Parliament Subang
Parti Keadilan Rakyat

Y.B. FUZIAH SALLEH
Member of Parliament Kuantan
Parti Keadilan Rakyat

Y.B. TONY PUA
Member of Parliament PETALING JAYA UTARA
Democratic Action Party (DAP)

Y.B. DZULKEFLY AHMAD
Member of Parliament Kuala Selangor
Parti Se-Islam Malaysia (PAS)