Display list of members, Mafrel told

KUALA LUMPUR: Independent election monitor, Malaysians for Free Elections (Mafrel), has been challenged to reveal the names of the individuals sitting on its board.

Umno Federal Territory, which made the call, said it was the only way to prove that Mafrel was “indeed independent”.

“Mafrel should revel the names of individuals who sit on its board. It would be interesting to know who is sitting on the board and also why Mafrel is always complaining about the government every time there’s an election,” FT Umno secretary Syed Ali Alhabshee said.

He also urged Mafrel to stop being a “seasonal busybody” and to refrain from urging the Election Commission to act against the government for allegedly abusing its power.

“All it shows is that Mafrel is an independent body that rides on the back of the opposition, a seasonal busybody whose role is just to fuel the situation,” he said.

“If Mafrel was efficient, it should have forwarded its observations of the election process to the EC, but I understand that the EC has not received any reports from Mafrel until now.

“So what exactly is Mafrel monitoring?” he asked.

Syed Ali was commenting on the EC’s dismissal of Mafrel as an independent election monitor for the Hulu Selangor by-election following complaints from Umno Selangor after Mafrel ticked off the federal government.

Mafrel had earlier chided the federal government for launching its housing and school project to coincide with the Hulu Selangor by-election.

Pakatan Rakyat has come out strongly against the EC's decision. It has alleged that Umno and the EC are in cahoots to manipulate the outcome of the Hulu Selangor polls.


http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/fmt-english/news/general/4387-display-list-of-members-mafrel-told