KOTA BAHARU, Jan 11 (Bernama) — Malaysians For Free and Fair Elections (Mafrel), an election watch organisation, has proposed that a sitting judge be appointed chairman of the Election Commission (EC) for greater transparency.

Its chairman, Abd Malek Hussin, said the proposal had been presented to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz.
“Perhaps, this (appointment of a judge) can be started after the term of service of the current EC chairman (Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman) expires,” he told reporters after opening a workshop on the monitoring of the 12th (next) general election, here.
Abdul Rashid, 65, had his appointment as EC chairman extended following an amendment to the law to enable the chairman and members of the EC to serve up to the age of 66.
Abd Malek said the practice of appointing judges as chairman of the election commission had been adopted in several countries including Bangladesh, Pakistan and India.
He also said that Mafrel had identified several “hot” parliamentary and state constituencies in the country which required closer monitoring by the organisation.
Eight of these parliamentary seats were in Kelantan, six in Terengganu and five in Pahang, he said. He did not name the seats.