Election watchdog Malaysians for Free and Fair Elections (Mafrel) today urged political parties and individuals to stop interfering in its problems with the Election Commission (EC).
Mafrel had come under criticism from the EC for failing to submit reports in the previous by-elections, and also in the Dewan Negara.
Its chairman Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh told a press conference today the differences between Mafrel and the EC are best left to them to resolve without intervention by certain quarters.
"We do not want those who act in their own interest or possess shallow knowledge of the background, role and duty of Mafrel to intervene," he said.
EC deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar had reportedly said that Mafrel's status was being reviewed after it failed to fulfil certain conditions stipulated by the EC since the 2008 general election.
He said Mafrel had also failed to submit reports for any of the previous nine by-elections nationwide.
Wan Ahmad also said there is no need for Mafrel or similar NGOs to be independent observers for the Sibu by-election on May 16.
On Tuesday, a senator, Datuk Idris Buang, of Sarawak, had questioned the credibility and funding of Mafrel during a debate in the House.
He claimed Mafrel attacked the EC and Barisan Nasional (BN) and it had also given the impression "the EC is an agent of BN".
Syed Ibrahim said Mafrel has completed the reports for the previous by-elections and has sent a letter to the EC to seek a meeting.
"The EC's accreditation only allows us to enter restricted areas like the nomination, polling and counting centres but it cannot stop us from observing from outside these centres."
He said the number of by-elections since the 2008 general election has been high and frequent and Mafrel has to take longer time in preparing the reports "because it does not want to compromise on the quality and findings of the reports".
"We have completed nine by-election reports but we have yet to decide whether the reports will be given to the EC or any other parties," he said
Syed Ibrahim admitted Mafrel needed funds from within and outside the country to run its operations.
"We did receive funding from the Finland embassy and the International Republican Institute (IRI), which is funded by the United States government, to train volunteers and perform our duty in the last general election as we needed at least RM50,000 to cover a general election," he said.
He said Mafrel will always act without fear or favour to achieve the goal of protecting the rights of voters and ensure free and fair elections.
Syed Ibrahim said Mafrel will monitor the Sibu by-election, for which nomination will be held tomorrow and polling on May 16.
At the press conference, Mafrel also released the preliminary report on the Hulu Selangor by-election, which it said was marred by vote-buying attempts and election offences committed by candidates from both the Barisan Nasional (BN) and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).
It said the campaigning was characterised by personal attacks on the candidates and character assassination attempts.
The organisation observed that leaders from BN and PKR promised million of ringgit in development and aid money to voters.
The parliamentary seat was won by P. Kamalanathan from BN with a majority of 1725 votes against PKR's Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim.
The report recommended, among others, that:
> EC provides an electoral roll validated for any election with no time limit on objections;
> The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to monitor corrupt practices and electoral corruption and act swiftly; and
> All contestants to make public disclosure of campaign spending to include sources of electoral funding.
The full report is expected to published next month.
