Can Bersih clean-up EC?

The time has come for Bersih 3.0 because let us face it: the BN federal government is certainly not going to improve the electoral system as it will mean their downfall from political power.

COMMENT

At this point in time, ground and grassroots reports indicate that Pakatan Rakyat can do better than in the previous general election. The reports indicate that Pakatan can maintain Kedah, Kelantan, Penang and Selangor, capture Perak and Negeri Sembilan besides making further in-roads into Perlis, Terengganu, Pahang, Malacca, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak.

As for KL-Federal Territory, indications are that the status quo remains with only the seats of Setiawangsa, Putrajaya and Labuan still eluding Pakatan’s grasp.

However, all these are merely ground reports. But the actual situation after the votes are counted may produce totally different results. And this due to none other than the ever-powerful spoiler, the Election Commission (EC).

Although the use of indelible ink can prevent multiple-voting, the crux of the matter is that there are still many areas where the EC can manipulate to assist Barisan Nasional in maintaining power. Chief among these is postal voting or advance voting or whatever terminology it is called.

Recently, retired Brigadier-General Abdul Hadi Abdul Khatab who has served 30 years in the Royal Malaysian Air Force informed PAS that the BN federal government must be pressured to abolish postal voting in the coming 13th General Election. If not, then the postal voting must be conducted outside the military camps so that polling agents from both sides of the divide can monitor the voting. From the dawn of time till the current practice, postal voting is conducted inside the military camps and anything can happen as the Opposition’s polling agents are not allowed inside the camps.

Bersih must take heed of this retired Air Force man’s suggestion because postal voting is prone to manipulation and postal voting is the deciding power because it has rescued BN’s candidates in many cliffhanger vote-counts, for instance the victory of Rembau MP, Umno’s Khairy Jamaluddin against PKR’s Chegu Bard in the previous general election. During our school days we talked about being saved by the bell but in the case of BN it is being saved by the post.

Last year, four retired army personnel revealed to PAS that they have voted on behalf of their colleagues. This news was put up on PAS’ Harakah’s website. One of the retired servicemen even said that his fingers were numbed due to voting on thousands of ballots.

There certainly needs to be more transparency on this postal voting.

Felda settlers’ vote

Another problem that needs to be overcome by Bersih is the vote of the Felda settlers who are ferried to the polling centres by BN using government machinery. On the way towards the polling centres, these settlers are coerced into voting for BN, otherwise they will be denied Felda benefits and treated as outcasts in their community. This situation happened openly in the Galas and Tenang by-elections in 2010 and 2011 respectively and yet the EC did not act to penalise BN for using government machinery in the wrong manner.

Clearly it is not wrong to announce that EC is a subsidiary of BN and therefore has abused the trust of the public due to its lack of impartiality.

Another problem-prone area is the mainstream media which BN has abused to make use as a propaganda campaign tool. As usual, the EC is blind to such abuses.

As long as the EC is still in BN’s grasp, the EC will continue to help BN to win as they have done so throughout the past and will continue to do so in the future.

The short campaign period of eight days is also a great advantage to BN. EC should set a minimum campaign period of 21 days. In the old days there was once a campaign period of more than a month (42 days). The lengthy campaign duration is a necessity so that the voters in the interiors of Sabah and Sarawak can be reached in order for them to make an informed decision.

The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) which was formed to look into ways of improving the electoral process is working too slowly. The next Parliament session is in March and it lasts for a month. What will the PSC recommend during this coming Parliament session? So far all the changes are only cosmetic. The only big thing is the use of indelible ink.

Time has come for Bersih 3.0

The time has come for Bersih 3.0 because let us face it: the BN federal government is certainly not going to improve the electoral system as it will mean their downfall from political power. BN is not stupid – they know the stakes and they know that it is only the EC that is hindering Pakatan from winning Putrajaya. BN will never allow EC to capitulate to Bersih’s demands for that will mean the end of BN at the ballot box.

Thus it can be seen that BN’s survival lies with EC’s cunning and ingenuity. Will Bersih act now? Will there be another Bersih Rally in late February or early March? After the votes are counted, it will be too late to do anything. Filing lawsuits after lawsuits will not solve the problem as in the case of the Perak power-grab (the third anniversary is coming up on Feb 5, 2012).

The age old adage “prevention is better than cure” is applicable here. We do not want the case of the stolen election or the stolen government with BN winning the 13th General Election through dubious tactics. Then it will be the case of the “Thieves of Putrajaya”.

That is why although ground reports indicate that the Opposition will do better than in 2008, it will not be a surprise if after the votes are counted, Pakatan only manages to retain Penang and Kelantan or nothing at all. Nothing is really amazing in this land of Malaysia Boleh. It is EC that is BN’s last line of defence but what a powerful rear guard – it will need all the might of the people to execute a change – indeed we live in interesting times.

Selena Tay is a FMT columnist.