Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva has called on the caretaker government to delay issuing a royal decree announcing a new election date until efforts to reform the voting process are completed.
Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, seated second right, along with party executives, meets Election Commission members yesterday to discuss his proposals to find a solution to the political crisis. Mr Abhisit launched a campaign last week to approach key political figures and other stakeholders to convince them to join a peace-building effort. THITI WANNAMONTHA
He made the comment yesterday after meeting the Election Commission (EC) in one of a series of meetings he has proposed with key political players to break the political impasse.
The royal decree for the Feb 2 general election, issued when the House of Representatives was dissolved on Dec 9 last year, expires today.
His campaign, which began last week, is aimed at convincing all stakeholders to redefine the debate on holding an election by pushing for a poll as a component of political reform.
Mr Abhisit stressed the need to delay issuing the royal decree, saying that announcing a new election date will not help lift the country out of political crisis unless a favourable climate, in which all sides of the political conflict agree to a new poll, is created.
Without such a climate, a new election will end up being part of the problem, rather than the answer to it, he said.
"If the election is delayed but peaceful, I am sure most people will find it acceptable," Mr Abhisit said.
After an hour-long meeting with the EC, Mr Abhisit said he and the poll agency had agreed a new election is unlikely to succeed given the highly divisive political climate.
Mr Abhisit and the EC also agreed that even if the new poll is successful and is not nullified on the same grounds as the Feb 2 one, there is still concern over whether the House can convene its first session, and if the new government can be formed after the new election.
He said that over the next four days he will try to find an answer for the country to achieve peace, with national reform the ultimate goal.
He said the EC will take his proposals to discuss with caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra during their meeting today.
Mr Abhisit said if Ms Yingluck wants to give him an opportunity to pursue his peace efforts she should take his proposals into account and avoid rushing into an early election.
Until an agreement has been reached on the reform issue, Ms Yingluck should not block the way out of the political impasse, he said.
Ms Yingluck on Monday urged all parties to give Mr Abhisit moral support in his efforts to end the political deadlock.
She said she wanted to give him time to work on these efforts, and urged him to hold talks with anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban and build a consensus.
Mr Abhisit said he has not yet discussed the details of his proposals with the PDRC, so the group should not reject them out of hand.
He said the ultimate aim of his proposals is reform undertaken in line with the charter. Mr Abhisit said he did not believe his aim is any different to that of most other political figures.
Mr Abhisit also said that if all sides accept his proposals, the Democrat Party will agree to run in a new election.
He said that both his opponents and allies have been highly suspicious of his peace efforts, so he felt the need to make them fully understand his proposals.
EC secretary-general Puchong Nutrawong said Mr Abhisit proposed an eight-point plan for election reform during the meeting with the EC.
The plan includes measures to reform the EC's mechanisms and management in holding elections, Mr Puchong said.
He said Mr Abhisit's proposed election reform concurs with commissioner Somchai Srisuthiyakorn's proposals that the EC's election rules and regulations be amended.
Mr Somchai called a meeting of EC personnel in charge of election management over the weekend. The meeting came up with new measures to ensure peaceful elections, and to restore public confidence so that voters feel safe enough to go to the polls, Mr Puchong said.
He also said Mr Abhisit noted that when some political parties form a government they fail to honour and implement the policy pledges they have promised voters during their poll campaigns.
Mr Abhisit proposed that the EC amend regulations to strip these political parties of their right to run in elections as a punishment for their failure to keep election promises, Mr Puchong said.
He also suggested the EC issue yellow and red cards to poll-winning candidates found guilty of violating election laws within 30 days of an election, and by-elections then be held 30 days later.
Mr Abhisit expressed concern that if winning candidates manage to take political office, it then becomes difficult for the EC to take legal action against them, Mr Puchong said
To counter this Mr Abhisit proposed that those issued yellow cards still be allowed to compete in re-elections, but those given red cards should not participate.
Mr Puchong added that Mr Abhisit did not oppose the tentative new election date of July 2, nor did he suggest any new poll dates during his meeting with the EC yesterday.
Mr Abhisit told the EC that he needed three to four days to present his ideas to other political groups, Mr Puchong said.