THE retirement of the Election Commission chair on May 9 has led to calls for a more transparent appointment process for his successor and greater scrutiny of potential candidates and justifications for their selection. Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional made electoral promises to establish a parliamentary committee to vet candidates for key national positions.

It is common for opposition leaders who previously supported electoral reform to become hesitant after gaining power. Now that they are in charge, perhaps the fear that the election management system might be manipulated by the executive has subsided.

However, we must acknowledge that the integrity of the Election Commission cannot depend on the vagaries of who happens to be the prime minister. Current cabinet members should remember their past criticisms of the political backgrounds of some former EC chairs and a deputy chair, whose impartiality and independence from the executive might have been compromised. But the appointment process has remained unchanged, and the same system weaknesses persist.

General elections in Malaysia are becoming highly competitive and unpredictable, potentially causing incumbents to be reluctant to leave the outcome to chance. However, this unpredictability strengthens the case for enhancing the transparency of the appointment procedure for Election Commissioners, especially the Chair. The era of perpetual power has ended. It is my hope that Prime Minister Anwar ibrahim will have the foresight to implement a more transparent and accountable appointment mechanism via the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Human Rights, Election, and Institutional Reform. It is time to walk the talk. While leaders come and go, the legacy of good governance can hopefully last beyond the leaders. – May 26, 2024.

* Helen Ting reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.