Malacca assembly speaker Othman Mohamad has admitted there was an exercise to change the voting addresses of students in the state’s higher education institutions by Malacca Umno.
Othman, who led the operation, said the objective was to facilitate outstation students to cast their vote should the 13th general election be held out of the semester break.
He claimed that states ruled by Pakatan Rakyat also did the same, especially Selangor to provide the opportunity for outstation students to cast their votes.
“This was done after we found that in the 12th general election more than 2,000 students could not exercise their responsibility because they had no chance to return to their hometowns.
“Realising the matter, between January and March, we had held briefings with the relevant students in a few higher education institutions in the state to explain the matter and avoid any misunderstanding.
“Most of them have already registered as voters in their hometowns, we had therefore sought the cooperation of National Registration Department (NRD) and Election Commission (EC) to facilitate the process,” said Othman when contacted yesterday.
He was asked by Malaysiakini on the “expose” by DAP Ayer Keroh assemblyperson Khoo Poay Tiong that an Umno leader’s son was caught on video persuading university students to change their addresses to ensure BN wins a marginal constituency in the upcoming election.
Khoo alleged that the NRD and EC officials gathered students of Multimedia University Malaysia (MMU), Universiti Teknologi Mara and Universiti Technical Malaysia at a hall and advised them to change their addresses and register themselves within the Bukit Katil parliamentary constituency.
Othman, who led the operation, said the objective was to facilitate outstation students to cast their vote should the 13th general election be held out of the semester break.
He claimed that states ruled by Pakatan Rakyat also did the same, especially Selangor to provide the opportunity for outstation students to cast their votes.“This was done after we found that in the 12th general election more than 2,000 students could not exercise their responsibility because they had no chance to return to their hometowns.
“Realising the matter, between January and March, we had held briefings with the relevant students in a few higher education institutions in the state to explain the matter and avoid any misunderstanding.
“Most of them have already registered as voters in their hometowns, we had therefore sought the cooperation of National Registration Department (NRD) and Election Commission (EC) to facilitate the process,” said Othman when contacted yesterday.
He was asked by Malaysiakini on the “expose” by DAP Ayer Keroh assemblyperson Khoo Poay Tiong that an Umno leader’s son was caught on video persuading university students to change their addresses to ensure BN wins a marginal constituency in the upcoming election.
Khoo alleged that the NRD and EC officials gathered students of Multimedia University Malaysia (MMU), Universiti Teknologi Mara and Universiti Technical Malaysia at a hall and advised them to change their addresses and register themselves within the Bukit Katil parliamentary constituency.
'No coercian'
The Bukit Katil constituency is speculated to be in danger of falling to the opposition as BN retained it in the last general election by a slim majority of 1,758 votes.
According to Othman, the changing of students’ addresses were based on the location of their university and residence.
“Coincidentally, many of the higher education institutions are located in Bukit Katil area such as Kolej Yayasan Melaka which is in Padang Jambu of the Bukit Katil parliamentary constituency, as well as other higher education institutions.
“On the allegation that there were coercion and attempt to buy the students’ votes, we deny it because we had already explained to the students involved and many of them declined to change their addresses.
According to Othman, the changing of students’ addresses were based on the location of their university and residence.“Coincidentally, many of the higher education institutions are located in Bukit Katil area such as Kolej Yayasan Melaka which is in Padang Jambu of the Bukit Katil parliamentary constituency, as well as other higher education institutions.
“On the allegation that there were coercion and attempt to buy the students’ votes, we deny it because we had already explained to the students involved and many of them declined to change their addresses.
“This (changing address) is necessary because voters should cast their votes according to the address stated on their identity cards,” he elaborated.
The same exercise was also held in other areas, including Alor Gajah and Jasin.
“This is to provide convenience to the students, and the issue of abuse and fraud as alleged by the opposition yesterday does not arise at all,” Othman added.
Earlier, Malacca NRD director Mohd Shahril Neoh Abdullah said his officials seen in the video clip were merely responding to the universities’ requests to facilitate students in changing their voting addresses.
The same exercise was also held in other areas, including Alor Gajah and Jasin.
“This is to provide convenience to the students, and the issue of abuse and fraud as alleged by the opposition yesterday does not arise at all,” Othman added.
Earlier, Malacca NRD director Mohd Shahril Neoh Abdullah said his officials seen in the video clip were merely responding to the universities’ requests to facilitate students in changing their voting addresses.
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