EC's challenge is dangerous to democracy, says PAS

The Sun
Husna Yusop

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 2, 2008): The Election Commission (EC)’s challenge to the opposition parties to stay away from the general election is very dangerous to democracy, PAS Youth chief Salahuddin Ayub said.

He said PAS still believes in the democratic system and although it doubted the EC’s transparency, there was no reason for the party to boycott the coming election.
“By staying away from the election, it will make the people channel their anger through undemocratic means and this can affect the country’s political stability.
“We believe the rakyat do not want Malaysia to become like Pakistan or Iraq.
“Therefore, the opposition must provide a channel for the people to voice out their anger and dissatisfaction towards Barisan Nasional (BN),” he told a press conference in the party headquarters here today.
Yesterday, EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman made the challenge, saying the opposition should stay away from the elections if they doubt that the commission would be fair and transparent.
Salahuddin said at the same time, PAS still stands by its demands for the EC to ensure a fair and clean election and do away with the flawed electoral process as voiced out by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih).
On another matter, Salahuddin challenged Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak to an intellectual discourse to discuss the latter’s statement that reducing the price of petrol will make the government go bankrupt.
He said PAS was prepared to bring their professionals and economists to prove it wrong and Najib should also be ready with his experts.
Najib had said on Monday (Dec 31, 2007) the opposition’s promise to lower the price of petrol if they are voted into power in the next general election will make the government go bankrupt.
Salahuddin said the discourse should be made open and shown live on television.