THE public must be involved and be well informed on the anti-party hopping law so the proposed bill would meet its expectations, Bersih said. 

The election watchdog said the special select committee must not obstruct the public’s knowledge and participation by applying the Official Secrets Act (OSA). 

“While the minutes of its internal meeting can be kept confidential, the committee should make the following public: the dates and venues of meetings held, key decisions of the meetings, the evolving drafts of the bill, as well as written and oral submissions made by stakeholders. 

“We call upon the committee to boldly end the ‘secrecy culture’ in lawmaking in Malaysia, which is a colonial relic that the public cannot be trusted to know and give their inputs on laws that affect them. 

“It also smacks of elitist arrogance that ‘politicians and bureaucrats know best’, which has no place in the 21st century, and contradicts the Keluarga Malaysia spirit,” said Bersih. 

Last week, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said discussions and findings that were presented to the select committee are protected under the OSA. 

“Members in the committee had asked me whether (the meeting) is protected under the OSA. 

“So, decisions made by any committee cannot be revealed, unless it is tabled in the Dewan Rakyat itself, as then, it will be a public document,” he said at an event last Wednesday.

Wan Junaidi also said as someone observing the law and Standing Orders, he will not reveal any details about the meeting.

“That is why I’m silent. I can’t comment because I cannot reveal (further). I don’t need the publicity,” added Wan Junaidi. 

Bersih reminded the committee that the bill must not be rushed in Parliament in June. 

It added that the committee must also address a key disagreement during the April 11 parliamentary debate whether MPs expelled by their parties should also be expelled from the House.  

“The public must be informed on this pertinent question and the proposed remedies to ensure that the law would not be derailed, defective or destructive to parliamentary democracy. 

“Public expectations of the legislative process and quality have been raised by both the defects in the current draft and the commendable remedial steps taken by the Ismail Sabri Yaakob government and Pakatan Harapan.

“Bersih encourages the committee to continue this bold journey to produce an anti-party hopping law acceptable to all parties, and not to allow the old ‘secrecy culture’ to stand in the way of accountable, transparent and participative lawmaking,” it said. – April 26, 2022.