PETALING JAYA, Dec 31 — The Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0) hopes the country will usher in the new year with a commitment towards strengthening multiparty democracy.

The electoral watchdog urged Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who chairs the parliamentary caucus on governance and reform, to meet with all political parties in 2019 to discuss the future of multiparty competition.

The Bersih 2.0 steering committee said in a statement tonight that it will seek meetings with the two leaders as part of its efforts to strengthen multiparty democracy.

It warned Malaysians not to assume that the end of Umno or Barisan Nasional’s single-party rule will automatically usher in democracy, adding the exodus of Umno elected representatives since the general election is sign that multiparty competition is being undermined by desire for power and patronage.

"If we fail to consolidate democracy, it may also pave way to political chaos, rise of populist strongmen and even re-emergence of one-party dominance,” the election watchdog said.

Commending Anwar and lawmakers from both sides of the political divide for speaking up against crossovers, it again called for establishment of a Parliamentary Select Committee on elections and political parties, reform in political financing and separation of public prosecution from the Attorney General’s Chambers.

"Bersih 2.0 categorically refutes the propaganda that reforms necessitating constitutional amendments (eg, separation of public prosecution from AGC) cannot be done without the government having a two-third majority.

"If reforms are affirming multiparty competition, why should the opposition object to them?” it said.