PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim's plea to Australia to ensure the next Malaysian general election is clean and free is "disgusting and an embarrassment to the people", says Election Commission (EC) deputy chairperson Wan Ahmad Wan Omar.

NONE It is disgraceful of the opposition leader to seek foreign interference in the country's election process, today's New Straits Times quotes Wan Ahmad as saying.

"It's unbecoming of him. Any sensible government in the world, especially those advanced democratic nations, would not intervene in other countries' business.

"Yet, this opposition leader is asking Australia to intervene in our election process.

"Imagine, if other countries sought interference from Malaysia to do the same, surely their people will be very upset and angry," Wan Ahmad is quoted as saying.

The veteran election officer insisted that the Malaysian election process "is the best" and has benefited the people and country.

He also commended the Australian government's decision to reject Anwar's request, adding that it showed the country has respect for Malaysia's electoral process and its people.

"It is not right to intentionally embarrass your country on the international stage and belittle the democracy we have built for so many years.

"Anwar is simply an attention-seeker who has no dignity in trying to tarnish the image of our country and the people," Wan Ahmad said.

In another report published by Malay daily Sinar Harian today, Wan Ahmad announced that the EC would form a special unit to manage the electoral roll as suggested by MPs.

The commission will request the help of the Public Services Department to form the unit comprising EC officers.

"Indeed, we are taking proactive steps to form the special body as suggested before, and we are still short of officers to implement it," he said.