Malaysians for Free and Fair Elections (Mafrel) hopes that the Election Commission's (EC) move to seek greater powers to clean up the electoral roll will be part of a comprehensive exercise that ensures "truly free" and fair elections.

Lauding the EC move as " a step in the right direction", Mafrel chairperson Abdul Malek Hussin said he hoped further details would be forthcoming on the proposed amendments to various election regulations.

Many issues need to be addressed in terms of implementation, including aspects of campaigning and the creation of a level playing field, said Abdul Malek in an interview with malaysiakini.

"Mafrel welcomes and lauds the move (to amend the laws to clean up the electoral roll) as a step in the right direction, a good start. The idea of cleaning the electoral roll should be supported," he said.

"But the EC should come up with the specifics. There are as yet no details on the draft amendments."

EC chairperson Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman said last Wednesday that draft amendments to Section 25 of the Elections (Registration of Electors) Regulation, 2002, would ensure a "clean" electoral roll and is expected to be ready in time for the next general election.

According to The Star, he said the 100-plus amendments also involve the Elections (Conduct of Electors) Regulations 1981, the Elections (Postal Voting) Regulations 2003, the Election Offences Act 1954 and Elections Act 1958.

Mafrel had, at a workshop on Aug 6, presented its recommendations and observation findings of the Sarawak state elections. It provided detailed evidence of 'irregularities' in the electoral rolls in relation to the identity of voters and their addresses.

The findings revealed an unusually high percentage of voters without addresses, such as in Bawang Assan in Sibu of which the electoral roll recorded 71.4 percent of voters without addresses at all.

There were also numerous single addresses with an unusually large number of registered voters in each, with one house registering 94 voters, according to the findings. Mafrel also claimed there was a large number of untraceable voters, unrecognised voters and deceased voters.

Call for roundtable talk

According to Abdul Rashid, the amendments would empower the EC to update the addresses even of those electors who refused to change their address. State and local authorities, meanwhile, would be engaged to confirm deceased electors.

Commenting on this, Abdul Malek said the EC should call for a roundtable discussion with all quarters in order to get their input on the proposals.

He questioned the mechanism to monitor the updating exercise: "How impartial will the implementation be? Village heads are often delegated to confirm deceased voters, for example, but are often political appointees of certain parties. Who will monitor impartiality?"

Abdul Malek said however that the EC's recent reforms, such as changes introduced during the Sarawak elections on May 20 pertaining to the secrecy of ballots, augur well.

During the Sarawak elections, the EC announced that Regulation 19 (3) of the Elections(Conduct of Election) Regulations 1981 and also 7(1) of the Elections (Postal Voting) Regulations 2003 had been amended towards strengthening ballot secrecy.

The EC also introduced and distributed an eight-page comprehensive Election Code of Conduct pertaining to do's and don'ts during nomination day, polling day, the campaign period, counting and tallying of votes, and announcement of election results.

It had also introduced the User-friendly Voters' Registry Systems Application.

"In our opinion, EC is more likely to be receptive to reform of the election system and processes," Abdul Malek said, adding that the EC had shown readiness to receive Mafrel's recommendations and observation findings of the Sarawak elections.

Q&A: 'Piecemeal reform will not work'