Ongkili Chairman Of Committee On Electoral Reform

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili has been appointed to chair the Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reform, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced Thursday.

He named the other members of the committee from the Barisan Nasional (BN) as Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi (representing Sarawak and the Ibans), Datuk Seri Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad (Umno and the Malays), Tan Sri Dr Fong Chan Onn (MCA and the Chinese) and P. Kamalanathan (MIC and the Indians).

Dr Ongkili represents Sabah and the Kadazans.

Muhyiddin, who is also BN deputy chairman and Umno deputy president, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had agreed to the list of names which had since been made known to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia.

The deputy prime minister welcomed the decision of the opposition parties to also sit on the committee, which would consider ways to improve the country's electoral system.

"We want all quarters to be involved, not just component parties of the Barisan Nasional," he told a news conference after chairing a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Supply and Prices, here.

Muhyiddin said the motion on the committee would be tabled in parliament on Oct 3 when the next session of the Dewan Rakyat convenes.

The parliamentary select committee on electoral reform will comprise nine MPs, five from the BN, three from the opposition and one an independent.

Najib had announced the setting up of the committee to improve the electoral system and to put to rest any suspicion that there was manipulation by the government in the country s electoral process.