(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - In a letter sent to the Malaysian king, the opposition activists demanded changes including the use of indelible ink, a careful check on the whole process of postal voting, transporting of postal ballot boxes and the counting of such ballots, reviewing the nomination procedure, as well as a 21-day campaign period to prevent voter fraud during elections.
They also called for the political parties' equal access to media in pre-election debates, the development of public institutions, and measures to counter attempts to buy votes.
The opposition insists that the ruling National Front coalition led by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has long relied on fraud to manipulate election results and maintain its nearly 54-year uninterrupted grip on power. The government says, however, that the current election laws are fair.
Malaysia's national elections are due in 2013 but are expected to be held earlier.
Meanwhile, Malaysia's Human Rights Commission, better known by its Malaysian abbreviation Suhakam, has announced that it will hold a public inquiry into the alleged use of excessive force by the police during rallies staged last weekend in the capital, Kuala Lumpur.
“Suhakam feels that in view of the number of complaints on excessive use of force, the incidents of tear gas, the death of Baharuddin Ahmad and the denial of access to lawyers, various violations of human rights could have happened,” Suhakam Vice Chairman Khaw Lake Tee said at a press conference on Thursday.
He further explained that further details of the Suhakam inquiry would be announced in two weeks' time.
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