EC launches booklet to counter critics

By Mohd Farhan Dawis

April 24, 2012

PUTRAJAYA, April 24 – The Election Commission (EC) today launched a special information booklet to counter all allegations made by opposition lawmakers and civil society groups to discredit the country’s election process.

EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof told reporters today that some 5,000 Malay-language booklets have already been printed, while the English language ones are still on the way.

The 12-page booklets, costing RM4 a piece, will be distributed to government departments nationwide, media organisations and the public.

It comprises the EC’s responses to 12 allegations raised by critics of the country’s polls process, including issues of the over 40,000 ‘doubtful voters’ in the current electoral roll, the alleged over-registration of voters in one single address, registration of foreigners as voters, the EC’s move to correct the voting localities of some 19,000 voters and others.

Abdul Aziz (picture) told reporters at today’s launch that since the Parliamentary Select Committee’s (PSC) final report was passed in Parliament earlier this month, the EC has had to fend off relentless accusations against the credibility of its processes and the current voter registry.

But, he stressed, the allegations were largely unfounded.

“This is because they do not really understand the EC’s processes.

“There were many complaints regarding the electoral roll, so we have prepared answers to the allegations in this booklet,” he said.

The EC chairman insisted that Malaysia’s polls process was among the best in the world, pointing out that even foreign dignitaries have visited here to observe the local system.

He noted that these foreign nations have also invited Malaysia’s EC as observers for their respective elections.

“If do not trust us, why would they invite us?” he asked.

Abdul Aziz also repeated that it was impossible for any country to have an electoral roll that is 100 per cent free from discrepancies.

“We have over 12 million voters... Surely some mistakes are bound to happen.

“But do not, just because of a few shortcomings, make these false accusations against us.

“EC hopes that with this booklet, all the allegations can finally be countered with facts,” he said.

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers and election watchdog Bersih 2.0 have been accusing the EC and the federal government of lacking in commitment to reform the country’s election process, despite the PSC’s 22-point recommendations tabled in Parliament on April 2.

Among others, the critics have pointed to EC’s admission to the existence of the names of over 42,000 ‘doubtful voters’ in the registry, which the National Registration Department (NRD) could not match with its IC records.

But in a recent press conference, Abdul Aziz had dismissed this number, saying that it merely makes up some 0.3 per cent of the total electoral roll.

Other complaints from critics include the allegedly unnatural spike in voter numbers in certain constituencies, the existence of over 100 voters registered to a single address, claims that foreigners have been given voting rights, the moving of voters from one locality to another, the registration of the spouses of armed forces personnel as postal voters, the EC’s sudden decision to increase the number of its officers on duty for polling day and others.

Unhappy with the PSC’s work, Bersih is set to host its third rally for free and fair elections this Saturday at Dataran Merdeka.

Its rally last July 9 was said to be the key reason behind the PSC’s formation by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

During the July 9 event, the government had embarked on a widespread clampdown on protestors, which saw chaos rule the capital city’s streets as tear gas and chemical water were used to disperse the group of thousands.