Election watchdog leader warns of street protest
Published on: Monday, January 20, 2020
By: Malay Mail
KUALA LUMPUR: The Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration needs to implement key reforms it promised before elections by June this year, or risk voters going to the streets again, former Bersih 2.0 chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan (pic) said.
She said priorities should be given to things like the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) Act and abolishment of death penalty which actually were already drafted and should no longer be postponed.
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“If these things can’t be pushed through to June, it is a total failure of PH’s commitment for reform.
“As I said...reluctantly we never thought we would have to go to the streets in relation to this government but if it has to be done, it has to be done. This is not because of the government, this is because of the people,” she said after the forum titled “IRC Reform. Why the Secrecy?” forum here.
Ambiga who is also the former National Human Rights Society (Hakam) president said PH does not have much time left as it will enter its fourth year in power in 202,1 which will usually be used to focus on the next general election.
She said by concentrating on the reforms, PH can even strengthen the support that gave them the mandate to reform the country in the historic 2018 general election which saw them defeating Barisan Nasional.
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“I am not saying they haven’t done a good thing. They have done many good things.
“But my fear is time is running out and if they do not deliver some of the key promises then to me, there’s very little time left. Because come next year everyone’s concentrating on the next election,” she said.
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In December last year, the government decided to defer the second reading of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission 2019 Bill to the next Dewan Rakyat meeting which is scheduled in March this year.
On Wednesday Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong said he is still waiting for the final report from the Special Committee to Review Alternative Punishments to the Mandatory Death Penalty due at the end of this month before any final decision is reached on the matter.
She said that if the government still does not fall after the partial release, and it should have nothing to worry about and therefore can make public the rest of the document that was in storage since July 2018.
In October last year, prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the confidential report by the IRC and its seven recommendations that have been passed to the quasi-official Council of Eminent Persons can only be made public once all Pakatan Harapan (PH) component parties agree to it.
Dr Mahathir said he alone does not have the authority to do so despite being prime minister, in reply to lawyer and former IRC member Ambiga during the regional LawAsia Constitutional and Rule of Law Conference 2019.
Ambiga said she does not know the real reason why PH did not want it to be released but she would “charitably” assume that it is because of public and voters’ perception towards the already much-criticised administration.
“Perhaps one, they don’t want the public expectations to be raised and then if they don’t deliver, it’s a reflection on them. That’s a possibility.
“The other one is they don’t want any negativity and cold water being poured on any of the suggestions. Perhaps, now that’s a very charitable way of looking at their reasons for not releasing [the IRC report],” she said.
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