January 20, 2010 - The Moro Movement for Honest and Good Governance (MMHG) held its first consultation on the forthcoming national elections with the communities last January 17 in Barangay Kayaga, Kabacan, North Cotabato.

The said consultation, which was attended by some 200 participants from the different sectors including women, was part of the MMHG’s program in raising people’s awareness on political exercises in the country particularly their rights of suffrage for them to be able choose leaders who can rightly lead the country, in general, and Cotabato Province, in particular.

In his opening statement, Abdulgani Yusop, chairperson of the MMHG, said it is important to consult and educate the people on their rights to choose right leaders who can deliver good governance in the country and be aware also of the perennial sickness that has been besetting the country ever since for them to be actively part of the struggle for electoral reform in particular and political reform in general.

“The province of Cotabato has repeatedly been rocked by wars that were the handiwork of leaders who have been motivated by personal interests,” he lamented.

Recently the MMHG conducted voters’ education that was attended by leaders from various municipalities of the Cotabato Province including MMHG’s municipal coordinators. The activity was held at the University of Southern Mindanao, USM, Kabacan, Cotabato.

“The activity was done successfully and the participants were very active,” Akmad Maguid, vice chair of the Movement, said. “This is just one of the pre-election activities being undertaken by MMHG,” he added.

MMHG is a Mindanao-wide organization but, as of this election, it is concentrating in the Cotabato Province. It is currently implementing its five major programs and services such as Capability Building, Research and Information, Networking, Transparent and Good Governance, and organizing.

Akmad explained that the MMHG envisions a cheating-free election and that people can live in a society of peace and harmony, thus, fostering good governance.

When asked about how realistic it is (cheating-free election), he said we need more struggle to get rid of it as election fraud has been a serious cancer of the country. He added that the people need to unite and attack it together and that it can just be possible if they are fully aware of the current political situations.