ERC submits 49 election reform recommendations

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 27 -- The Electoral Reform Committee (ERC) today submitted 49 recommendations on electoral reform to Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, for the purpose of improving the system.

Its chairman Tan Sri Ab Rashid Ab Rahman said Muhyiddin when receiving the report at the Prime Minister's office in Parliament has given the assurance that the government would look into all the recommendations thoroughly.

"There is no time frame set for the government to implement the recommendations submitted," he told a press conference here.

However, he said 32 of the recommendations can be implemented within three years if approved by the government while the rest may take between five and 10 years to materialise.

Ab Rashid said among the recommendations was to separate the functions of the Election Commission (EC) into three bodies to boost public confidence in EC.

He said EC would remain as the main body in enforcing election laws, the election secretariat would conduct the election process while the commission for redelineation of electoral boundaries would be responsible for administering certain matters related to the redelineation exercise.

Other recommendations are the date of the dissolution of Dewan Rakyat and state legislative assemblies to be set at least six months in advance and adopting a candidate can only contest for one seat policy.

ERC was established in August 2018 to study the existing electoral system and laws.

-- BERNAMA