KUALA LUMPUR: A civil society organisation has urged the Election Commission (EC) and the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Human Rights, Elections, and Institutional Reforms to implement essential reforms to the Elections (Conduct of Elections) Regulations 1981 to combat fraud and enhance transparency in the electoral process.
Tindak Malaysia director Danesh Prakash Chacko said the social, political, and technological changes demanded a modernisation of rules governing election conduct.
The organisation outlined a series of reforms targeting critical areas to strengthen the electoral system, including proposing the introduction of a 48-hour campaign 'cooling-off period' before voting day.
During this 'cooling-off period', all physical and digital campaigning would be strictly prohibited.
"This would give voters the time to reflect on their choices without being influenced by last-minute campaign messages," said Danesh in a statement today.
He also advocated for a more inclusive polling staffing process, suggesting that at least 50 per cent of polling staff, including presiding officers, should be drawn from the public, professional bodies, and selected civil society organisations.
This, he argued, would enhance independence and transparency in the electoral process.
Danesh further recommended limiting the 'trusted persons' category, which currently allows designated individuals to assist voters, to immediate family members only such as siblings, parents, spouses, or children aged 18 and above.
"This restriction would help maintain security and prevent potential abuses of power during the voting process."
The organisation also added the need for clear laws regarding the counting and management of overseas postal votes to ensure transparency.
They also proposed separating Form 13 under the First Schedule into two distinct forms for greater clarity in the documentation process, one for the declaration of the opening statement of the ballot papers (Form 13A) and another for the closing statement (Form 13B).
Additionally, Tindak Malaysia also suggested altering the voting process involving indelible ink, proposing that it should be applied after the voter has cast their ballot to more effectively prevent fraud.
They also called for the creation of a checklist for the safe handling and storage of election documents to ensure that election materials are securely maintained and protected from tampering.