Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Bob Carr. Later today before the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade two key representatives from the Malaysian NGO Bersih, the movement for clean and fair elections in Malaysia, will be giving evidence. Bersih co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan and committee member Andrew Khoo have told me of their serious concerns that the Malaysian elections due in the next six months will not be clean, free or fair. Among other things, Bersih has raised strong concerns about the credibility of the electoral rolls, the integrity of the postal voting system, dubious vote-counting, gerrymandering, an absentee voting system and draconian media controls as well as laws prohibiting street demonstrations. Is the minister aware of these concerns and does the Australian government share these concerns?