Nick Xenophon this week questioned the Federal Government’s motives for ignoring allegations of fraud in the Malaysian election.

Malaysia’s ruling coalition won the election, and Prime Minister Najib Razak was sworn in for a second term last week.

Meanwhile, defeated opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim described the election as the “worst electoral fraud in our history”, and has called on supporters to protest the result.

Senator Xenophon told reporters there is clear evidence that the elections were unfair, and that his sources in Malaysia have told him of major irregularities during the election.

The senator was quick to round on the Australian government’s response to the allegations of election fraud.

“Effectively acknowledging a corrupt regime that will now be in power for five more years… obviously suits the Australian government because they agree with the people swap solution,” he said.

“The Opposition was opposed to the people swap so we need to ask the Australian government whether that played a role in their thinking.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr has said he believes it is not up to Australia to judge on the fairness of the Malaysian election.
“We can’t make a value judgement about Malaysia, we can’t be their court of disputed returns,” he said.

Mr Carr said the Australian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur had followed the election closely, but that it could not be determined whether there were unfair practices taking place in relation to the voting process.

“It’s not up to us to determine these things,” he said.
Senator Xenophon says the foreign minister’s credibility has been damaged with such comments.

“It’s completely inconsistent with the stance he’s taken in the region in Fiji, in Myanmar, in Iraq, in other countries where he’s spoken out unequivocally about the need for democracy for clean and fair elections.”

Associate Professor Lily Rahim from Sydney University told the ABC this week that many Malaysians are angry about the value of their vote.

Ms Rahim warned of political instability following the election and has urged the Australian parliament to monitor how the Malaysian electoral system reacts.

“Australian politicians should be watching very closely – at least in the next few weeks,” she said.

“Should there be an outbreak of violence, perhaps Australia could constructively play a role in attempting to defuse the tension.”