There is no need for an Equal Opportunity Commission (EOC) as initially proposed by the Najib Abdul Razak administration's New Economic Model or NEM, according to political observer and law professor Abdul Aziz Bari.

Aziz argued that existing provisions, in particular Article 8 of the federal constitution, already guaranteed that equality.

"They should find ways and means within the system itself. Make use of whatever available before creating a new one," he said.

NONEHe added that Pakatan Rakyat should not follow BN's footsteps in creating new institutions to address problems because in the end the financial burden of the exercise will fall on the taxpayers.

Aziz (left) was responding to a statement by DAP publicity secretary Tony Pua, who argued that the EOC was necessary to stem the brain drain and achieve Malaysia's high-income economy goals.

The EOC was removed from the final NEM document after stiff resistance from several groups, in particular Malay rights pressure group Perkasa.

Watch for gimmicks warning

Pua said the establishment of the EOC would be a fitting tribute to recently deceased National Economic Action Council (NEAC) member Zainal Aznam, a key figure who drafted the NEM and had been critical of Perkasa's attacks on the document.

Aziz regards the EOC as a "gimmick" and warned Pakatan that policies to establish such institutions would end up with a bloated government.

NONEOther than Pua's (right) call, Aziz also cited a PAS official's call for the establishment of a university exclusively for the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda).

Aziz argued that at present, there were already too many commissions and universities.

He said Pakatan appeared to have an obsession with law-based reforms, citing the proposed bill to "strengthen democracy" mooted by Lembah Pantai parliamentarian Nurul Izzah Anwar.

"They need to rethink these top-bottom measures. What is more important is to do away with all the impediments and restraints such as the archaic and draconian laws," he argued.