This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on June 14, 2018

KUALA LUMPUR: The Institutional Reforms Committee (IRC) is "almost done" with gathering public feedback and will soon begin drafting its recommendations for the Council of Eminent Persons (CEP), according to committee member Datuk Mah Weng Kwai.

"We are almost done with all the dialogues and meetings, so now it is to sit down and write the report," Mah, a retired judge of the Court of Appeal and Human Rights Commission of Malaysia commissioner, told reporters yesterday after an IRC meeting.

"We are dealing with the institutions, [and] not so much the individuals. We want to give recommendations on structure and the system of things," he said.

IRC chairperson Datuk KC Vohrah, a retired judge of the Court of Appeal, and National Human Rights Society president Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan were present at the meeting as well.

Vohrah said the recommendations for reforms would involve the police force,

Attorney-General’s Chambers, the Election Commission and Parliament.

"We have been listening to many people making their representations; [there are] lots of very good input. We must look into them now and see how they fit into the general picture of what is wrong with the institutions. That would take time. We will have to write papers, make suggestions on what laws ought to be done, what structures have to be changed, and how do we select people for top posts," he said.

Ambiga said the IRC will possibly hold another two sessions to gather public feedback. However, she said the committee cannot reveal those who approach the IRC as the proceedings are confidential.

"We have one or two more possible sessions, but our proceedings are confidential. We are very pleased with the number of people who came, which is why our appointments have been back-to-back. We are very grateful to all of them who came before us, because they were very well prepared," she said.