PM Announces Parliamentary Select Committee On Electoral Reform

KUALA LUMPUR -- Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak announced on Monday the setting up of a parliamentary select committee on electoral reform to put to rest any suspicion that there is manipulation by the government in the country's electoral process.The prime minister said the committee, comprising government and opposition members, would have its first meeting on Wednesday and would discuss "everything that needs to be done" and reach a consensus on the matter."This is so that we can reach a consensus in facing the next election without any suspicion about any manipulation by the government.

"That is why when the issue of free and fair elections was raised recently, the government's response was for us to tackle the issue which has spawned numerous views, and to a certain extent, disputes," he said in his speech at the breaking-of-the-fast with the media hosted by Bernama at Wisma Bernama, here.He said the move was to dispel any misconception that the government was against a clean electoral process.Najib said the government was committed to continuing the parliamentary democracy tradition that was started by the nation's forefathers.

"I have said it before and I say it again, that the cabinet members and I do not want to become ministers and prime minister without the support of the people. We will only form the government if it is proven that the people truly choose the Barisan Nasional as their government."Let no one misconstrue and say that we do not want a clean process to elect the government," he said.Such commitment, he said, was not new but a tradition to be proud of and one that the present generation of leaders should strive to uphold.

Najib said that although democracy had its weaknesses, it was important to put in place an administration system which benefited the people because it gave them a choice.He said the government will let the people decide whether it is for the good or bad."The most important is that our conscience is clear," he said, adding that the government was committed to serving the people, and that placing them first was what it always aspired for.

Source : Bernama