CAMERON HIGHLANDS: There is a major flaw in the current system of selecting candidates seeking to stand for elections, said MyPPP president Tan Sri M. Kayveas.
He said the shortcoming allows outside candidates to contest and garner votes from a constituency, which is something that is problematic.
Kayveas said the government, specifically the Election Commission (EC), needs to find a solution to rectify this flaw in the near future.
“There is a flaw in our system. Hopefully, the government and the EC will find a way to ensure that in the future, only native candidates are allowed to contest in a constituency.
“It would be pointless to bring a candidate from outside. Even if he/she wins an election, it would be pointless, as he/she would fully utilise their time taking care of the constituency,” he told reporters after casting his vote for the Cameron Highlands by-election at the polling centre in Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sultan Ahmad Shah, Tanah Rata here, today.
Kayveas made the remark when asked about his view on Pakatan Harapan candidate M. Manogaran and Barisan Nasional candidate Ramli Mohd Nor – who are not registered voters in Cameron Highlands – running in the election, compared to the two independent candidates Sallehudin Ab Talib and Wong Seng Yee, who are registered here.
The former Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department called on the EC to emulate the democratic process practiced in developed countries, which places a condition that for a candidate to contest in a constituency, he or she must first be picked by the community where they seek to contest.
“The system allows for the local community to pick their candidate. They would be able to see who is present and are able to work and provide assistance in that particular constituency.
“Hopefully, we would be able to evolve and the new government would be able to implement this in the near future,” he added.