Malaysia needs an election ombudsman

TindakMalaysia Network Services PLT (Tindak Malaysia) proudly announces the publication of its proposed Election Ombudsman Office Act 2026.

It is a comprehensive proposed legal framework to create an independent election ombudsman office tasked with receiving, investigating and resolving complaints related to electoral misconduct, irregularities and violations of electoral laws.

Our proposal can be accessed here under the section Special Update (for Election Ombudsman Office Act (EOOA).

Currently, if there are issues related to elections, Malaysian citizens can lodge a complaint to the complaints and enquiries section of the Electoral Commission.

For candidates, they can file an election petition on the grounds laid in the Election Offences Act 1954.

If one is not satisfied with the handling of the complaint by the commission, one is able to escalate it to the Public Complaints Bureau.

That said, the bureau covers complaints from multiple ministries and state governments. Like the Electoral Commission, the bureau is under the Prime Minister’s Department. It is not constitutionally entrenched and has limited disclosures of systemic findings. In short, the bureau is not the best avenue to address specialised election matters.

Tindak Malaysia’s draft law (written by Nikkita Koh Si Qi) aims to address the current deficiencies in the election complaints mechanisms by establishing a permanent ombudsman’s office for elections with clearly defined functions, an independent appointments mechanism, and protections against interference –all essential safeguards for democratic integrity and public trust.

Our closest example for an election ombudsman’s office would be the Indonesian General Election Supervisory Agency.

The Election Ombudsman Office Act 2026 proposes:

Tindak Malaysia’s proposal arrives at a pivotal moment in Malaysia’s broader governance reform agenda. The federal government has signalled its intent to legislate a national ombudsman Malaysia – an independent body to manage public complaints of maladministration, misconduct, whistleblower protection and freedom of information – with the ombudsman bill expected in Parliament in early 2026.

This national initiative underscores widespread recognition across civil society, Parliament and the executive that robust, independent accountability mechanisms are critical to strengthening democratic governance.

A strong ombudsman institution for elections delivers multiple democratic benefits, including:

Tindak Malaysia calls on Parliament, political parties and civil society to:

Tindak Malaysia remains committed to supporting constructive dialogue and contributing expertise toward meaningful governance reforms that strengthen electoral integrity, democratic rights and public trust in Malaysia. – Tindak Malaysia