PAS distributed copies of a letter in Parliament today which they claimed was from Puteri Umno chief Azalina Othman Said to Election Commission chairperson Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman on assigning the wing's members to the commission's state offices during the next general election.

The letter titled 'Employment candidates to the Election Commission' also contained handwritten notes from Abdul Rahman to EC secretary Wan Ahmad Nor as well as from the latter to his deputy Fatimah Mohd Yusof.

"We have discussed this. If they are taken in to work temporarily, they cannot be regarded as Puteri Umno workers," read the notes from Abdul Rashid to the secretary in the letter dated April 14 (right)

At a press conference at the Parliament lobby today, PAS Youth chief Mahfuz Omar said Abdul Rashid's note was ostensibly meant to reflect EC's transparency in the recruitment exercise

However, the Pokok Sena MP added that employing Puteri Umno members to help the commission during the polls violated the rules and procedural regulations of recruitment.

Candidates bio-data

Meanwhile, the handwritten notes attributed to Wan Ahmad asked his deputy to direct all state election officers to obtain the Puteri Umno candidates' bio-data after informing them of their job scope.

"Please arrange with every state elections officer so that a bio-data of every candidate is obtained in order for their appointment effective June 1," he had written.

On Monday, Mahfuz told Parliament that he had documentary evidence to back his claim that the commission was recruiting Puteri Umno members.

The documentary evidence include a letter (left) by EC deputy secretary Patimah Mohd Yusof to all state election officers, asking them to adhere to "normal" procedures in hiring these Umno Puteri assistants.

She also wanted them to treat her letter as "secret", and instructed that it not to be kept in an open file of the officers.

Mahfuz had raised the issue in the last Parliament sitting in June and was told last Thursday that the commission had stopped its recruitment of temporary staff.

However, Mahfuz said he conducted a check with the EC state offices and learnt that no such directive was given.

On the same day, Abdul Rashid told malaysiakini that he had directed for the recruitment to be stopped when the matter was raised in June.

He also claimed to be in the dark over the documentary evidence which the PAS leader vowed to expose.

Resign immediately

Meanwhile, Mahfuz today urged the EC chairperson and secretary to resign immediately and added that PAS will also petition the rulers asking them to reconsider their appointment of the duo.

Under the Federal Constitution, the rulers appoint the commission's top officers on the advise of the government.

Also present at the press conference was another PAS leader and Kuala Terengganu MP Syed Azam Syed Ahmad Nawawi.

He said that PAS has formed an 'action committee' to follow-up on the matter. The committee is headed by Tumpat MP Tumpat Kamarudin Jaffar.

The committee will also embark on a nationwide roadshow to inform the public about the issue as well as to highlight the EC's alleged failure to be non-partisan.

"We will inform the people about how the EC has become a 'kuda tunggangan' (horse) for Umno and the Barisan Nasional."

Syed Azman also revealed that the committee plans to go international with the issue.

"We will approach international human rights organisations as well as bodies concerned about the democratic process to inform them of these developments," he added.