The 14th general election could be as "dirty" as 13th polls due to the ongoing redelineation process, former electoral watchdog Bersih chief Ambiga Sreenevasan said.

This is because the Election Commission is carrying on with the process without first addressing the Electoral Integrity Project’s (EIP) findings that Malaysia’s polls boundaries are the worst in the world, she said.

Speaking at the Asean People’s Forum 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, she said the 13th general election in 2013 was the "dirtiest" in the country’s history.

"I don’t how we can just ignore a report like that. In fact, EC is ignoring the report.

"(As) we speak, they carry on with the process of redelineation , which is going to ensure that the 14th general election is as dirty as the 13th general election," she said.  

The EIP analyses factors leading to electoral malpractices and evaluates electoral good practices.

It ranked Malaysia’s elections as among the worst at 114 out of 127 countries surveyed, and said Malaysia has the worst electoral boundaries .

As such, Ambiga mooted an Asean civil tribunal where citizens can lodge complaints of human rights abuses, as well as challenge the legitimacy of elections in their countries.

"We, Asean, need to pay more attention to the question of free and fair election in each country.

"Perhaps we should set up a permanent Asean tribunal, because if our countries and the governments are reluctant to hold inquiries into matters related to human rights violation and fair elections, then the people need to take them upon themselves," she said

Inspired by People's Tribunal

Speaking to Malaysiakini later, she said her Asean tribunal proposal was inspired by the People’s Tribunal organised by Bersih.

The People's Tribunal scrutinised public claims of fraud in the 13th general election, which were not entertained by the authorities.

"The way in which we set up the (People’s Tribunal) was to appoint a panel of eminent persons with specific terms of reference. This (the Asean tribunal) will be a civil run tribunal.

"It is a very interesting mechanism and will help in moving the agenda for human rights forward," she said.

Ambiga also likened the proposed tribunal to the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal (KLWCT), established in 2007 by former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad to investigate war crimes.

"This way, there is at least some accountability for human rights abuses, as well as a clean and fair election," she said.