KUALA LUMPUR (May 24): The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0) has urged Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to suspend the Chief Commissioner of the Election Commission, Tan Sri Mohd Hashim Abdullah, and his deputy Tan Sri Othman, within the first 100 days of government.

“Subsequently, a tribunal should be established to remove all seven current commissioners,” Shahrul Aman Mohd Saari, acting chairperson of Bersih 2.0, told reporters outside Ilham tower today.

Bersih 2.0 was there to submit its proposal on electoral and parliamentary reforms to the Institutional Reform Committee by the Council of Eminent Persons (CEP).

“Today was the last day for us to submit these documents. We will meet with (the CEP) on May 30,” Shahrul said.

“We are encouraged by the fact that the new government is open and willing to listen to our proposal,” he added.

Bersih 2.0 executive director Yap Swee Seng said the coalition hopes the government will consider electoral and parliamentary reforms, as much as financial ones.

“We know that urgency is currently focused on the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) case, but institutional reforms should not be neglected, Yap added.

According to Bersih 2.0, the most important action to take immediately is to restore independence of the Election Commission, as no meaningful reforms can take place if current members are not removed.

The proposal, which includes specified timeframes for reforms, was submitted to Parliament last year, but no action had been taken on it, Shahrul shared.