EC dismisses Khairy's phantom claims
S PathmawathyPublished: Aug 24, 2009 11:43 AM | Updated: Aug 24, 2009 3:47 PM
The Election Commission has dismissed outright Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin's claim that thousands of phantom voters had been planted in Permatang Pasir
The Election Commission has dismissed outright Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin's claim that thousands of phantom voters had been planted in Permatang Pasir
EC chairperson Abdul Aziz Yusof, when quizzed on claims made by Khairy, said:
"We received a list of names and 14 names were highlighted... we checked and they are not phantom voters".
He stressed that the names highlighted were locally registered in the 1980s and 1990s, before the amendments to the Electoral Act Amendment in 2002.
"They are legitimate voters and it is their right to vote... they were registered under one address for their convenience," said Abdul Aziz.
To the claim that there were certain individuals who were acting as agents within the EC, Abdul Aziz said, Khairy should provide evidence of their existence which then will be investigated.
But BN detected more phantoms
However in another development, Umno information chief Ahmad Maslan claimed that BN had detected 3,696 phantom voters in the Permatang Pasir state constituency.
Ahmad said based on BN's study report on voters' attitude for the by-election, these voters could not be traced from the addresses given in the electoral roll.
"When we went to give the voting slips to a house which was supposed to have 14 registered voters, we found there were only seven voters registered with that house address.
"We could not trace the other seven. We were told by the house owner that they never knew these named seven 'voters'," he said at a press conference today.
Maslan said 961 phantom voters were detected in Sama Gagah, 95 in Permatang Ara, 284 in Permatang Pauh, 142 in Bukit Indera Muda, 216 in Kampung Pelet, 329 in Kubang Semang, 74 in Tanah Liat Mukim 8, 1,181 in Kampung Cross Street 2 and 414 in Permatang Tengah.
"We have a complete list of voters who could not be traced based on the registered addresses.
"We suggest that the EC list the voters in the constituency according to the addresses given to facilitate verification," he said, adding that there were Chinese voters registered with the addresses of Malay homes.
He also said this did not happen in previous elections, but Permatang Pasir seemed to be a special case.
EC takes precaution against H1N1
In another development, the EC is taking precautionary measures to curb the spread of Influenza A(H1N1) for tomorrow's by-election.
EC chairperson Abdul Aziz told reporters that they will be working together with the health ministry and will be setting up checkpoints in key areas.
"We still face the Influenza A(H1N1) pandemic... therefore, the voters are advised to wear masks," he said.
On its part, the EC will supply all voting centres with air sanitizers which will be sprayed at two- hour intervals, he added.
In briefing the media, Aziz also said that police will be deployed to watch out for violations of electoral rules tomorrow.
He reiterated yet again that every election regulation must be adhered to and that the EC will no longer allow any leeway for political parties as past experience has shown every time rules are relaxed, that freedom is taken for granted.
Abdul Aziz was referring to violations such as canvassing for votes and campaigning at party booths, both prohibited under Section 26(1) of the Election Offence Act 1954.
"No such thing happens in other countries but Malaysia, so this time we are going all out to make sure that everyone abides by the law... we will not be lenient," he said.
No more campaigning tomorrow
It is an offence under the election act to hoist party flags on vehicles, canvass for votes, and in a nutshell, to campaign through any means on polling day.
"These are all forms of campaigning and there are against the law... let the voters vote in peace. We have already given them seven to eight days to campaign," Abdul Aziz.
The EC chief also expected a 80 percent voter turnout although the poll is being held on a weekday.
"It maybe a little more or a little less... but we expect a good turnout," he said.
He added that voting will start at 8am and end at 5pm, and if all goes smoothly the election results will be announced at 8pm tomorrow.
Penang police chief Ayub Yaakob, who also at the press briefing, said that there will be slightly more than 1,000 police personnel on duty.
EC chairperson Abdul Aziz Yusof, when quizzed on claims made by Khairy, said:
"We received a list of names and 14 names were highlighted... we checked and they are not phantom voters".He stressed that the names highlighted were locally registered in the 1980s and 1990s, before the amendments to the Electoral Act Amendment in 2002.
"They are legitimate voters and it is their right to vote... they were registered under one address for their convenience," said Abdul Aziz.
To the claim that there were certain individuals who were acting as agents within the EC, Abdul Aziz said, Khairy should provide evidence of their existence which then will be investigated.
But BN detected more phantoms
However in another development, Umno information chief Ahmad Maslan claimed that BN had detected 3,696 phantom voters in the Permatang Pasir state constituency.
Ahmad said based on BN's study report on voters' attitude for the by-election, these voters could not be traced from the addresses given in the electoral roll.
"When we went to give the voting slips to a house which was supposed to have 14 registered voters, we found there were only seven voters registered with that house address.
"We could not trace the other seven. We were told by the house owner that they never knew these named seven 'voters'," he said at a press conference today.
Maslan said 961 phantom voters were detected in Sama Gagah, 95 in Permatang Ara, 284 in Permatang Pauh, 142 in Bukit Indera Muda, 216 in Kampung Pelet, 329 in Kubang Semang, 74 in Tanah Liat Mukim 8, 1,181 in Kampung Cross Street 2 and 414 in Permatang Tengah.
"We have a complete list of voters who could not be traced based on the registered addresses.
"We suggest that the EC list the voters in the constituency according to the addresses given to facilitate verification," he said, adding that there were Chinese voters registered with the addresses of Malay homes.
He also said this did not happen in previous elections, but Permatang Pasir seemed to be a special case.
EC takes precaution against H1N1
In another development, the EC is taking precautionary measures to curb the spread of Influenza A(H1N1) for tomorrow's by-election.
EC chairperson Abdul Aziz told reporters that they will be working together with the health ministry and will be setting up checkpoints in key areas.
"We still face the Influenza A(H1N1) pandemic... therefore, the voters are advised to wear masks," he said.
On its part, the EC will supply all voting centres with air sanitizers which will be sprayed at two- hour intervals, he added.
In briefing the media, Aziz also said that police will be deployed to watch out for violations of electoral rules tomorrow.
He reiterated yet again that every election regulation must be adhered to and that the EC will no longer allow any leeway for political parties as past experience has shown every time rules are relaxed, that freedom is taken for granted.
Abdul Aziz was referring to violations such as canvassing for votes and campaigning at party booths, both prohibited under Section 26(1) of the Election Offence Act 1954.
"No such thing happens in other countries but Malaysia, so this time we are going all out to make sure that everyone abides by the law... we will not be lenient," he said.
No more campaigning tomorrow
It is an offence under the election act to hoist party flags on vehicles, canvass for votes, and in a nutshell, to campaign through any means on polling day.
"These are all forms of campaigning and there are against the law... let the voters vote in peace. We have already given them seven to eight days to campaign," Abdul Aziz.The EC chief also expected a 80 percent voter turnout although the poll is being held on a weekday.
"It maybe a little more or a little less... but we expect a good turnout," he said.
He added that voting will start at 8am and end at 5pm, and if all goes smoothly the election results will be announced at 8pm tomorrow.
Penang police chief Ayub Yaakob, who also at the press briefing, said that there will be slightly more than 1,000 police personnel on duty.
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