MEDIA STATEMENT: CAMBODIA ELECTION - MALAYSIAN OBSERVER STATEMENTS ARE SHAMEFUL, ACTION URGED
In the recent Cambodia general election, the Hun Sen government arranged for domestic and international election monitoring groups to endorse to justify this flawed election. This election has been condemned by the European Union and the United States as neither free nor fair, a sham and undemocratic.
We, as members of ASEAN Parliamentarian for Human Rights (APHR) are unhappy that a Malaysian was part of the international monitoring group.
On 30th July 2018, a Channel News Asia reporter noted that a Malaysian observer, Dato’ Md Yusop Hj Mansor commented that the election was “very transparent”, “democratic” and “credible”. Dato’ Md Yusop is a member of the Malaysian Election Commission. Such unwarranted statements has brought shame to our international standing as a new Malaysia.
We now seek a clarification from the government on the following:
whether Dato’ Md Yusop was in Cambodia representing the Malaysian government or in a different or private capacity; and
whether any actions will be taken against him for endorsing and whitewashing this sham election.
We also wish to remind the government to urgently reform our own Election Commission to ensure that the Election Commission members are fully committed to open, free and fair elections in Malaysia. We have two by-elections in the coming weeks and the Election Commission must prove it is a reformed institution.
Lastly, while we note the government’s position on non-interference among ASEAN nations, we urge the government to pursue constructive engagements to promote and safeguard democracy in ASEAN, consistent with the ASEAN Charter. Non-interference also means that we should not send any observers to endorse and whitewash any blatantly undemocratic elections.
YB Wong Chen, Member of Parliament for Subang
YB Charles Santiago, Member of Parliament for Klang
1 August 2018
