Saying that there are other ways to press for electoral reform, Datuk Seri Abdullah said the behaviour of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) was 'overboard'.
On Friday, five Bersih steering committee members tore up a picture of Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman to protest against the electoral system. They said the commissioner's efforts to introduce indelible ink and transparent ballot boxes, as well as the cleaning up of the electoral roll were 'cosmetic changes'.
Speaking to reporters in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, Datuk Seri Abdullah said Tan Sri Abdul Rashid was an experienced election commissioner who had overseen the country's election process for a long time and had always ensured a democratic, clean and fair election process.
He said the Election Commission had done its best to meet the opposition's demands, including introducing the use of indelible ink and transparent ballot boxes, as well as cleaning up the electoral roll to ensure clean and fair polls.
'If all this while what the commission has been doing is not good, these matters would surely have been brought to court because the opposition would make sure of it,' he said.
'There were some mistakes that were put right but to tear up his photograph is disrespectful.'
THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK