Rebutting complaints about media coverage being lopsided towards the BN during election campaigns, Election Commission deputy chairperson Wan Ahmad Wan Omar argued today that the opposition can push its campaign through the new media and party organs.

kuala terengganu parliament by election spr ec announcement 051208 wan ahmad wan omarIn a commentary published today by Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia, Wan Ahmad (right) said the opposition has benefited from the rise of the new media, which is generally supportive of its ideology.

"The opposition accused that elections are not fair because the media is said to be not free and they can't get access to the national media.

"They need to realise that all parties are free to campaign all the time, including the actions of spreading slander and allegations through the widespread party organs," Wan Ahmad wrote.

"Apart from that, campaign activities and actions to manipulate issues are done continually by the new media."

EC has no power over the media

Wan Ahmad said the EC had no power to dictate to the media, which was not within the purview of the commission.

"The rights of media owners to give more space or coverage to any party that they support should be respected.

"For the national media, it is subjected to the policy of the ministry. The relevant ministry sets the national media's management policy," he said in his article.

In the first part of his commentary published today, Wan Ahmad said the opposition's allegations were merely based on assumptions and perceptions, which have never been proven in any election petition taken to court.

He cited the allegation of 'phantom voters', saying the opposition has never proven who the 'phantom voters' were and where they had voted,.

All the election petitions filed based on the same allegation were struck out because the opposition failed to prove a prima facie case.

The same argument was used by Wan Ahmad to dismiss allegations of fraud in postal votes.

"They made assumptions and perceptions, which cannot be proven in court."

He also reiterated the EC's explanation on the issue of dead voters in electoral roll and the reasons why a long election campaign period was not necessary in Malaysia.

Utusan will publish the second part of Wan Ahmad's commentary tomorrow.


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