Appointment as EC chief in line with constitution, says Art Harun
The lawyer-activist says he cannot comment on references to the Pakatan Harapan manifesto as he is not aligned to any political party.
PETALING JAYA: The new Election Commission (EC) chairman, lawyer Azhar Harun says the appointment is in line with the Federal Constitution following questions by a former minister over the manner in which he was appointed.
“I know the provision in the constitution, and looking at the statement by the chief secretary to the government, I can ascertain that it is in accordance with it. So I leave it at that,” Azhar, popularly known as Art Harun, told FMT.
Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin who was youth and sports minister under the previous Barisan Nasional administration yesterday welcomed Art’s appointment, saying the lawyer was qualified for the position.
However, he said Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) manifesto clearly states that the appointment of EC members must go through the parliamentary process.
Art refused to comment on this, saying he was not aligned to any political party.
However, he thanked Khairy for having confidence in his ability to carry out the responsibilities of EC head.
He said the most important thing for him in his new appointment was to exercise impartiality and fairness.
“I will of course perform this duty to the best of my ability, in accordance with the law.”
Art replaces Mohd Hashim Abdullah, whose tenure as chairman was shortened to July 1.
It was initially supposed to end in August 2020.
Stay current - Follow FMT on WhatsApp, Google news and Telegram
Art’s appointment as EC chief has received mixed reactions, with PAS welcoming it and DAP’s Dr Boo Cheng Hau voicing questions similar to those of Khairy.