Fresh from a stinging attack from opposition party PAS for hiring members of ruling party Umno as election workers, Election Commission chief Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman today fends off more attacks, this time from government ministers, for announcing the lifting the decades-old ban on outdoor rallies.

Abdul Rashid defended his right to announce the lifting of the 25-year ban in the coming general election after this was questioned by de facto Law Minister Dr Rais Yatim.

Rais, who is a minister in the Prime Minister's Department, told Malay-language daily Berita Harian that the commission has no legal right to allow such outdoor rally during elections, adding that this discretion lies with the police.

However, Abdul Rashid told malaysiakini that the commission can do so since the Election Offences Act, which was amended last year, allows candidates to hold outdoor public rallies.

"What I said (about open-air public rallies), I spoke in the context of election laws, and not any other laws. The reason is obvious - when it comes to elections, we (the EC) are in charge," he said when contacted this morning.

Rais was joined by Consumer Affairs Minister Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday, who also criticised the commission for its decision to lift the ban on outdoor rallies.

Muhyiddin, who is also Umno vice-president, said he disagreed with the EC chief's 'proposal' as outdoor political rallies could be a threat against national security.

Go read the election laws

While declining to reply directly to charges laid by Rais and Muhyiddin, Abdul Rashid advised all those who doubted the EC's jurisdiction on the issue to refer to the Election Offences Act.

To press his point, he read out the entire section Section 24(B)(3) of the Act which states:

A candidate or his election agent may, during the campaign period:

a) hold, convene or organise any open public meeting, open public rally, open public display or open public entertainment; or

b) give any open public address or open public lecture in the constituency in which the candidate seeks election;

but only if he holds a permit to do so, given to him by the police officer in charge of the district where the meeting, rally, display or entertainment is to be held, or the address or lecture is to be given.

"I never said that public rallies are allowed at all times. I think I was very clear when I said that such rallies are allowed within the election period. Of course, other laws like the Police Act comes into play too, but as I stressed many times, we are in charge of elections," he said.

Abdul Rashid first raised the issue of open public rallies during an exclusive interview with malaysiakini early this month, which he said was one of the many changes he had sought after his appointment as the EC chief two years ago.

The ban on open public rally in general elections has been in force since 1978 when then Inspector General of Police Hanif Omar cited several security reasons, including the alleged 30th anniversary of the Communist Party of Malaya's armed struggle.

Websites too

Meanwhile, Abdul Rashid also announced that all online news organisations must also abide to the proposed election code of ethics, which stipulated that the media must give fair coverage to all political parties.

"Yes, of course, we also want to monitor election news on the Internet reported by registered online news organisations like malaysiakini. This is to ensure that the election process is conducted in rationale and fair manner," he said.

"I have directed my officers to invite editors of such organisations to meet us in the coming meeting at the end of the month together with other print and electronic media owners."

The commission will be meeting media owners and editors on Sept 30 to warn them against publishing unethical campaign material which could run foul of the EC's code of ethics.