The Coalition for Clean and Fair Election (Bersih 2.0) welcomes the establishment and the first hearing of the tribunal on the six election commissioners to determine whether they have committed misconduct in discharging their duties in the 14th General Elections.

This is the first ever case of election commissioners being tribulised for alleged misconduct in the history of Malaysia and in the Commonwealth. The tribunal was established following the complaint lodged by Bersih 2.0 after the 14th General Elections.

Although the intent and purpose of the tribunal is to determine the removal of election commissioners and the proceedings of the tribunal may be rendered academic following the resignation of the six commissioners, with the judges adjourned the proceedings to a date to be fixed, to deliberate the matter.

However, the fact that the tribunal is established and went ahead with the proceedings today is of paramount importance of setting the record straight and to send a strong message to all current and future election comissioners, including all public officials, that they will be held accountable if found guilty of dereliction of their duties.

It signals that to win election “by hook or by crook” will no longer be tolerated by the people of Malaysians.

Bersih 2.0 hopes that this will mark a new standard of accountability for all public officials managing our elections. This should be the starting point to rectify the flaws in our electoral system, especially in the appointment process of appointment of the members of the Election Commission, to ensure truly independent and competent candidates are appointed into the Election Commissions.

We thank the Yang Di Pertuan Agong and the Attorney General for taking it seriously in protecting the integrity of our elections by setting up the tribunal and to ensure clean and fair elections in future.

Today, we celebrate the tribunal as the victory of the people.

Released by,

The Steering Committee of Bersih 2.0