Media statement by Teresa Kok Suh Sim in Shah Alam on Monday, 17^th January 2011:

If implemented, the proxy voting system proposed by Election Commission will legitimize phantom voting and further hijack democracy in Malaysia

Election Commission should clarify whether it really plans to implement a proxy voting system in Malaysia. If true, I would view this proposal is a ploy by EC to legitimize phantom voting, an electoral corruption which the EC has until today failed to address.

Proxy voting can only be transparent in countries with a history of clean, open elections but Malaysia, unfortunately, is not one of them.

EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof's mere assurance the proxy voting would be monitored tightly does not give confidence and holds no credibility at all because history has shown that not only has the EC failed to uphold the integrity of our electoral process, it has even at the last minute backtracked from reforms it agreed upon.

In March 2008, the EC scrapped the use of indelible ink four days before polling, citing "public order and security issues" and the indelible ink which cost taxpayers RM2.9 million literally went up in smoke when it was intentionally incinerated in November 2009.

Furthermore, Tan Sri Abdul Aziz stated that the proxy voting is but one of some 30 amendments to election laws in the country which the EC wishes to table in the coming Parliament sitting in March. I can only hope that among the 30 are amendments to allow Malaysian voters who are abroad to vote.

I urge Tan Sri Abdul Aziz to release the proposed amendments to the public, and allow public scrutiny and public debate before even attempting to table the amendments to the Parliament. If he fails to do so, he will further reinforce the common belief that the EC is subservient to Barisan Nasional, and complicit to the hijacking of democracy in Malaysia.

* Teresa Kok Suh Sim, Selangor State Senior EXCO for Investment, Industry & Trade & MP for Seputeh