PUTRAJAYA: The Election Commission (EC) has defended the appointment of Datuk Lajim Ukin as its election observer for the Sandakan by-election.
The EC said it was based on his membership in the Electoral Reform Committee (ERC).
Commission chairman Azhar Azizan Harun said the former Sabah State Legilsative Assembly Opposition Leader was chosen in accordance with a set of criteria.
The appointment of the former Umno veteran from Sabah as an election pbserver would see him being placed under the government agency category and not representing a political party.
"The EC had taken note of Bersih 2.0's concern regarding Lajim's participation as one of the election observers during the Sandakan by-election nomination day recently," said Azhar in a statement today.
The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0) had questioned the EC's move to appoint Lajim, an active politician, as an observer, which could cast doubts on his impartiality.
The EC chairman had also listed the criteria set by the commission qualifying a person to become an election observer.
They are:
* Qualified government agency;
* Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or qualified organisations registered with the Registrar of Societies or Companies Commission of Malaysia (non profit oriented companies only);
* Malaysian citizen who is skilled and able to contribute to the improvement of the electoral process;
* Conducting activities close to the community;
* Be neutral; and
* Comply with the Election Observers Code of Ethics and Conduct.
Azhar said the commission had also prepared "Aku Janji (Pledge)" to be signed by the appointed observer with which one must comply at all times while executing one's duty as an election observer.
Should the observers breach the pledge, they would be dropped as election observer and blacklisted from becoming an election observer in any election, he said.
The EC chairman, however, assured all quarters including Bersih 2.0 that the commission was aware of concerns raised and would act accordingly, including reviewing the selection criteria for election observers upon getting feedback from relevant stakeholders.
Lajim was reported to have been seen wearing an official T-shirt with ‘Pemerhati Pilihan Raya’ (Election Observer) written on it.
Sabah Bersih 2.0 coordinator Asraf Sharafi, in a statement, had said the coalition viewed that election observers should be organisations or individuals who do not side with any political party, especially the ones that were contesting in the by-election.
He said it was in line with the established standards of the Global Principles Declaration for observers and monitoring of non-partisan elections by civil organisations (Venice Commission).