The Election Commission’s decision to disallow SUHAKAM from observing the upcoming 14th General Elections is illogical, unacceptable and absurd.
I wish to remind the EC that there was a serious human rights violation in the last general election. K. Murugan, the security aide to the PKR candidate for Tapah was missing and found brutally murdered on 5 May 2013. Thus, the role of SUHAKAM is crucial to curb election violence and violations of human rights.
SUHAKAM is not only a Malaysian body, but a statutory one, enacted under the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia Act 1999. Its Commissioners are appointed by the Yang Dipertuan Agong, much like the Commissioners of SPR themselves.
SUHAKAM is not only recognized locally, but internationally by, among others, the ICC and the Asia Pacific Forum.
It is strange that the Election Commission instead allows Indonesia, Thailand, Maldives, Timor Leste, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan as observers. Of this list, 6 countries have actually rates lower than Malaysia in democracy and 3 are listed as authoritarian regimes.
If the Malaysian Elections are indeed fair and free as the EC claims, they should not fear any observer, foreign or local to monitor the elections, such as the Asian Network for Free Elections (Anfrel) or Carter Research.
I call upon the EC to allow not only SUHAKAM but any observer to the General Elections and do its duty to uphold fair and free elections for Malaysia.