DR Mahathir Mohamad was the only Malaysian prime minister who invited international observers to monitor Malaysian elections, said the former chairman of Malaysia For Free and Fair Election (Mafrel).

Abd Malek Hussin said Dr Mahathir allowed international observers from the Commonwealth Secretariat to monitor the 1990 general election, after Umno split up in 1987.

The former Mafrel chief’s remarks came following Barisan Nasional’s attacks on the opposition spurred by a meeting between European Union (EU) ambassadors and Pakatan Harapan leaders led by Dr Mahathir. 

The meeting at the residence of ambassador and head of delegation of the EU to Malaysia, Maria Castillo Fernández, was focused on pressuring Prime Minister Najib Razak’s administration to ensure the 14th general election was conducted fairly.

Umno leaders slammed the meeting, saying it invited foreign intervention that threatened the country’s sovereignty. 

Malek said Dr Mahathir’s decision to let the international community to the 1990 general election was prompted by a sense of fair play as the opposition had repeatedly implied that there would be cheating.

“What was interesting was that the invitation was made after DAP leader Lim Kit Siang raised the issue in parliament.

“Lim had asked if the government would invite international observers to the 1990 general election and allow it to be monitored for fairness,” said Malek, who has extensively researched and written about the Malaysian election system.

In 1987, Umno was split into two when Dr Mahathir defeated Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah with a slim majority to secure the party presidency. It resulted in Razaleigh, better known as Ku Li, leaving Umno with his supporters to form Semangat 46 in 1988. Semangat 46 went on to forge a working pact with PAS in Angkatan Perpaduan Ummah and with DAP in Gagasan Rakyat. 

It was the first time the opposition had united and prepared for a one-on-one contest for all the constituencies in the general election, and in doing so, mount a formidable challenge to BN’s grip on power.

Malek said Dr Mahathir had answered Lim’s question regarding the polls in the Dewan Rakyat. 

“Dr Mahathir announced during the parliamentary sitting of June 21, 1990, that the Malaysian government had agreed to invite international observers from Commonwealth Secretariat to monitor the 1990 general election.

“When Dr Mahathir announced the decision, Najib Razak was present in the Dewan Rakyat, he was the Youth and Sports Minister then,” he said. 

Mafrel was an active election watchdog from 1999 to 2013. The non-partisan organisation was officially accredited by the Election Commission to observe the 12th general election in 2008. 

Najib had earlier this week said the chances of cheating in the 14th general election were non-existent due to the EC’s strict protocols and the electoral system, which had been in place during Dr Mahathir’s 22 years as prime minister. 

Meanwhile, Lim confirmed the events in the Dewan Rakyat that led to international observers at the 1990 polls.

“I raised the matter in Parliament at the time so that the Malaysian government would invite international observers. 

“Dr Mahathir agreed and allowed observers from the Commonwealth Secretariat to come,” Lim told The Malaysian Insight.

Former EC chairman Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman, who was the secretary for the commission in 1990, also recalled the incident.

“There was an application from the Commonwealth Secretariat to send a team of election observers.

“The government approved it and they were allowed to witness the conduct of general election in Malaysia at the time,” Rashid, who is now Bersatu vice-president, told The Malaysian Insight. 

Following the polls, the Commonwealth Secretariat released a report which said the ballot was fair but complained about the campaigns leading to the polls.

It said the opposition parties, unlike BN, did not have fair access to the media.

De facto law minister at the time, Syed Hamid Albar refuted the claim, pointing out that the report did not reflect the coverage the opposition received in the vernacular dailies.

He also noted that BN could not dictate to the national language or English language dailies the coverage it wished in the elections.

The Malaysian Insight is waiting for a response from the former minister.

Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin had challenged Najib to invite independent observers to monitor the 14th general election if the prime minister was confident it would be a clean affair. 

“Najib need not lie to the public that BN will not cheat in GE14. 

“The reality is, cheating has and is being carried by BN because they are increasingly afraid of losing in the elections,” said Muhyiddin in a statement. – February 3, 2018.