Crucifix poster stirs controversy

A ruling Barisan National coalition banner bearing images of the crucifix has raised eyebrows in Seberang Jaya, Penang.

The controversial banner reads: “Ini wilayah BN, jom kuburkan BA (Barisan Alternatif)” or “This is BN territory, let’s bury the BA”.

A reader who deemed the poster offensive to Christians alerted Malaysiakini to the banner displayed along the highway near Seberang Jaya hospital.

The ‘Bury the BA’ banner was previously spotted during the Ijok by-elections last April however the crucifixes are a new addition.

When contacted, Council of Churches Malaysia general-secretary Reverend Dr Herman Shastri reserved comments on the matter until he has seen a photo of the banner in question.

Malaysiakini has since forwarded a copy of the photo to Shastri.

“If there is truth in the matter, we deplore the use of religious symbols to exploit sentiments of voters,” he said.

Meanwhile, polls watchdog Malaysians for Free and Fair Elections (Mafrel) Penang coordinator Ong Boon Keong (left) did not consider the banner as an electoral irregularity.

“It is just a poor design. Maybe the crucifix is a way to represent the cemetery,” Ong said, when contacted, alluding to the banner's call to 'bury' the opposition.

Ong however cautioned banner designers to be more sensitive to the use of religious symbols.

Army voters haunt residents

Meanwhile, a small group of Tanjung voters gathered this morning to protest the discovery of almost 500 non-residential voters registered to an abandoned army base in the constituency.

Prior to nomination day, Mafrel had exposed the discovery of 473 voters - said to be servicemen - registered at the Division Two army base along Jalan Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah in Georgetown, Penang.

Commenting on the issue again today, Ong confirmed that Mafrel has details of these non-residential voters and confirmed they are not centenarian voters. It was recently revealed that nearly 9,000 voters in the electoral rolls are over 100 years old.

According to Ong, the Election Commission had argued it is unable to do anything while the building has not officially been closed down.

“This should be quite embarrassing for the Election Commission. There are no living quarters at the army base and it is a non-residential address,” he said.

The building has been vacant for several years as the division has moved to its new base in Bukit Gendung in the Balik Pulau parliamentary constituency some 20km away.

Our duty to point this out

In a statement issued by the group's spokesperson George Mugunthan, they expressed concern that this “interferes with their parliament and state assembly elections.”

The army base is located in the Tanjong parliamentary seat held by Penang DAP chairperson Chow Kon Yeow since 1999 and the Padang Kota state constituency held by Gerakan's three-term incumbent Teng Chang Yeow.

Mugunthan - who is a Mafrel volunteer and Tanjong constituency voter - explained that objections to these 473 phantom voters were raised two years ago with the EC to no avail.

He added that Mafrel had lodged a report with the Anti-Corruption Agency - whose office is on the same row as the abandoned army camp - but elicited a non-committal reply from ACA officers.

Mugunthan however said that the residents see it as their duty to highlight these issues regardless of whether action will be taken.

Leading up to the polls, electoral authorities have come under fire from activists who accuse them of not cleaning up electoral rolls and maintaining postal voting, which they say is open to manipulation.