(The Star) - Two of the 16 NGOs involved in a discussion with the Election Commission (EC) on their role as observers in the coming general election said they were never told the content was confidential.

Merdeka Centre director Ibrahim Suffian (picture) and Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) president Datuk Paul Low said they did not remember being told not to disclose the information to others.

However, they also said their organisations had not leaked any information shared during the discussion.

“On my part, I respected the contents of the discussion by not making it public knowledge,” said Ibrahim yesterday.

The EC had said some NGOs revealed information on the discussions to a political party despite being told multiple times that the contents were confidential.

EC deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar had said informing a political party on the issues raised during the discussion showed the NGOs lacked impartiality.

Low said TI-M had remained silent.

“Throughout our discussions with the commission, we had decided that until the time we received official accreditation as observers, we would be silent,” he said.