EC turns Bersih committee member into 'zombie'

A Bersih steering committee member is effectively among the walking dead, if the electoral roll is to be believed.

According to Liau Kok Fah (left), who was seen well and alive at the coalition for free and fair election’s press conference today, the Election Commission (EC) had informed him he had died sometime in the 1970s.

"The EC confirms that my name was removed from the electoral roll before the 2008 general election because of this," said the 50-year-old.

The commission has advised him to re-register as a voter.

Liau, who had managed to vote in the 2004 general election despite now being  declared ‘dead’, is insisting that the EC reinstate him into the roll.

The Puchong voter said that the problem first hit him in 2008 prior to the polls and had emailed the EC about it.

"They told me it is not their fault and blamed the National Registration Department. I told them I have no problems with my passport and the tax man is still telling me to pay tax. They did not reply," he said.

Liau, who also votes in the state constituency of Kinrara, brought the matter up again in 2010 during a meeting with EC chairperson Abdul Aziz Yusof, who instructed his staff to check the matter.

"My name is still not on the roll," he said.

 Another zombie on the loose

53-year-old Ho Heng Thong also found himself in the same pickle, despite having voted at least five times before since 1981 in the parliamentary constituencies of Segambut, Wangsa Maju and Subang.

"Ho checked the (EC) website and found that he was not listed. He lodged a police report and tried to re-register as a voter at the post office, but failed as the system said he is already registered," said PKR member Delren Terrence Douglas.

Delren, who received Ho's complaint said the latter then contacted the EC, which purportedly said that NRD records show he was already dead.

He also claimed that Ho was told he cannot be reinstated as the roll had yet to be gazetted.

Earlier this month, Ho went to the EC to obtain proof that he has been removed from the list due to his 'death' but was "refused the system print-out".

"He was then made to fill in a form to reinstate his name onto the roll," he said, urging all voters to check their status to ensure they can still cast their ballots.