Tuesday, July 12th, 2011 22:15:00
KUALA LUMPUR: The Election Commission (EC) today reminded PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu not to be too pushy over the eight demands of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih).
EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said today the demands were baseless because the memorandum that should be handed over by Bersih chairman Datuk S.Ambiga to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong was still with Ambiga.
"They (Bersih) said they wanted to give the memorandum to the Agong. So, I wonder why the PAS deputy president wants to challenge the EC as it was Bersih which wanted to submit the memorandum to the Agong.
"I don't know whether they have given the memorandum or not. I find it inappropriate for the PAS deputy president to now challenge the EC and that he should let the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to peruse the memorandum first," Abdul Aziz told Bernama when contacted today.
Mohamad Sabu at a press conference today was reported to have warned EC to fulfil the eight demands if they did not want to see another street rally.
The eight demands are cleaning up the electoral list, reforming the postal voting system, using indelible ink, allowing campaigning for at least 21 days, free and fair access to the media, strengthening the public institutions, and curbing corruption and dirty politics.
Abdul Aziz, however, said the last four demands were not under EC's jurisdiction.
He said EC had in the past renewed and amended the election laws and EC regulations.
"We welcome any suggestion from any quarters but it has to be concrete and sincere to improve the electoral system. It is not proper to negotiate but then you point a gun to someone's head. When you disagree, you demonstrate. This is uncivilised," he said.
Asked whether EC was still opening its door for negotiation with Bersih, Abdul Aziz said there were several aspects that needed to be looked at first.
"I have to see their sincerity and status, and I don't want to discuss with 'a gun pointed at my head'," he said.
He also questioned Bersih's decision not to pass the memorandum to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong when they had the chance to do so on July 5, four days before the illegal street rally in the federal capital.
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