Beh Lih Yi - Sep 28 2005, Malaysiakini
Not only has the Higher Education Ministry failed to allow the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) to monitor tomorrow’s campus polls, but it has fixed a meeting only at the eleventh hour to discuss alleged irregularities. Suhakam had sent a written request on Sept 13 to all 17 public universities and the ministry, seeking permission to monitor the campus polls slated for tomorrow. Five of the universities responded, referring the commission to the ministry instead.
Replying yesterday, the ministry said it “intended” to hold a meeting with commission chairperson Abu Talib Othman at Suhakam’s office today and that “two or three deputy vice-chancellors” would be on hand to explain the issues raised in the complaints.
“The ministry faxed the reply at about 5.45pm yesterday, which was after office hours. So we were only able to retrieve it at 8am today - do they (then) expect to meet us at 2.30pm?” asked a clearly irked commissioner, N Siva Subramaniam, when contacted.
“Since the letter is addressed to the chairperson, the commissioners are not in the position to reply. The chairperson is also not available for the meeting. It is ridiculous to set a meeting so late - why has it taken the ministry so long to respond?”
Siva said this indicated the ministry is not serious about handling complaints, stressing that Suhakam’s request to monitor the polls was a fair one. Complaints received by Suhakam this year include that of alleged intimidation and scare tactics, implementation of the electronic voting system, unreasonable campaign period, biased election rules and interference by campus authorities.
Monitoring ‘crucial’
Siva said Suhakam firmly believed that monitoring must be carried out in all universities to ascertain whether violations of human rights occur during the process of nominating candidates, balloting and counting of votes.
“Suhakam looks at the whole (election) process. The Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) is clear that additional rules should not be introduced, such as the public speaking test (imposed on candidates in the International Islamic University).”
On the boycott led by the ‘anti-establishment’ students in five major universities, Siva replied: “The students are exercising their right, so it is not for us to comment. Our main concern is whether there is compliance with the UUCA in conducting the election.”
Suhakam had asked to monitor the campus polls last year but was unsuccessful because the ministry questioned its professionalism and argued that there is no provision under the UUCA to allow an external body to carry out monitoring.
Earlier this month, commissioner Prof Hamdan Adnan was quoted as saying the majority of universities had “no objection” to allowing the commission monitor the polls this time around, following a meeting held in August. However, Siva clarified that no final decision had been made at the meeting as the university representatives had said they needed to refer to their respective vice-chancellors or the ministry. This was why the commission had sent an official request.
It is understood that Suhakam will not conduct monitoring tomorrow because it is still waiting for the ministry’s official response. “We don’t want to be turned away at university gates and be made the laughing stock of the public,” said a Suhakam official.
First impressions important
The Malaysian Voters Union (Malvu), meanwhile, expressed deep concern over reported flaws in the campus election process and warned that this may distort the views of youth. “Observing anything less than the full democratic norms of being free and fair will mar and disillusion the students for life in their expectations of our democratic practices,” it said in a statement today.
“The consequences for them as future voters, election candidates and election administrators and for Malaysian democracy will be dire.”
Malvu called upon university authorities to observe the principles of free and fair elections as endorsed by international bodies such as the inter-parliamentary union and the international institute for democracy and electoral assistance.
The body, which formed during the last general election as a monitoring group, also urged the authorities to allow election observers from off-campus groups to ascertain that the process meets the criteria of a free and fair process.
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