Azmi Sharom new deputy EC chairman

Updated 7 years ago · Published on 14 Feb 2019 1:45PM · 4 Comments

Azmi Sharom is a constitutional law expert and was today named as deputy EC chairman. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, February 14, 2019.

OUTSPOKEN academic and constitutional law expert Azmi Sharom has been appointed deputy chairman of the Election Commission (EC) along with four other new members, the chief secretary to the government said today.

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah consented to the appointment of Azmi, who is a Universiti Malaya law lecturer, along with new EC members Ramli Ibrahim, the former secretary-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; former director of the manpower department Chin Phaik Yoong; academic Faizal Hazis; and Bersih 2.0’s Zoe Randhawa.

The appointment of all five will take effect immediately, the chief secretary’s office said in a statement.

“It is hereby announced that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah has consented to the following appointments based on Clause (1) of Article 144 of the federal constitution,” read the statement.

Their appointments will fill the vacuum which six previous EC members left when they resigned last year following Putrajaya’s announcement of the setting up of the tribunal on October 17 last year to seek their removal on allegations of wrongdoing during the 14th general election.

The EC is currently chaired by Azhar Azizan Harun.

The appointment of the EC members is made by the Agong on the advice of the prime minister.  – February 14, 2019.

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Comments

  • Congrats!! Azmi Sharom . At least we are seeing an abled active open minded professional in the job!!!. The old man should go in this direction to appoint more calibre person to the job. Forget about the race and creed composition. Get the country moving !!! There are still some matured ex politician who are still vibrant and able to serve for a year or two to help and improve the system. A good candiadte is Rafidah Aziz. Rope her in for she could easily sit in two Ministry that is Education or Economic planning. Do not let her waste her time and energy in the NEAC where the collective thoughts will clash and nothing beneficial will come out of it.

    Posted 7 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • What is the process of naming people to the EC? Are they named be the Prime Minister? Who does the EC report to? Are they under the PM's Department? There must be structural changes in how the EC is appointed and the accountability structure, otherwise all these new appointments are just cosmetic. The EC, no matter who its members are, can only be truly independent if it is protected from partisan retaliation in one way or another. Otherwise, the EC will just be the stooge of whoever is in power at the time.

    Posted 7 years ago by Anak Kampung · Reply

    • I hope TMI can complete the article with some structural details so that the rakyat can be educated on this point. Thank you.

      Posted 7 years ago by Anak Kampung · Reply

  • Which Ramli Ibrahim is this ?

    Posted 7 years ago by Ananth Kumar Kumar · Reply