Its chairman, William Leong, said the committee acknowledges the call by civil society organisations, Bersih and think tanks for transparency and consultation on the appointment of the next EC chief.
“The committee agrees that the process of appointing the new chairperson of the EC should be conducted openly and in consultation with Parliament,” Leong said in a statement today.
“Given the urgency and importance of this matter, the committee stands ready to convene a meeting to review any candidate(s) to be considered for the position and to submit our views and recommendations to the government and His Majesty to aid the Conference of Rulers in the exercise of their discretion under Article 114 of the Federal Constitution.”
Under Article 114, members of the EC, including its chairman, shall be appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong after consultation with the Conference of Rulers.
EC chairman Abdul Ghani Salleh retired from his post on May 9, after four years at the helm.
Leong said the parliamentary committee will work closely with the government to strengthen transparency, independence and accountability of their institutions and public officers.
“Taking the step to engage Parliament (through the committee) in the process of appointing the next EC chief is a gesture of goodwill to our civil society partners and a recognition of their concerns,” he said.
On Wednesday, Bersih criticised the government over the appointment of EC member Sapdin Ibrahim, saying it goes against the election pledges made by both Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional.
Bersih said Sapdin’s appointment was made without parliamentary review, making Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the unity government appear insincere about implementing institutional reforms.
The electoral watchdog called on Putrajaya to take corrective measures by immediately establishing a parliamentary committee to revamp the appointment process of the EC chief.
Last month, the Undi18 movement also urged the government to appoint an electoral expert with significant experience in electoral reforms as the next EC chairman.