EC sets up special unit to clean up voter roll

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 21 — The Election Commission (EC) has set up a dedicated unit to rid the voter roll of dubious entries, its deputy chairman said today — a day after confirming the registry contained a number of errors.

Datuk Wira Wan Ahmad Wan Omar told a Malay news portal today that the EC lacked sufficient manpower but is working with the Public Service Department (PSD) to accomplish the job.

“This body’s sole duty is to check and investigate, no other tasks,” he told Sinar Harian Online today.

The EC — which repeatedly has come under attack for dragging its feet over cleaning up the electoral roll of dodgy entries before the 13th general elections due soon — had met with some 40 MPs yesterday in what is seen as a bid to improve its dented integrity.

It admitted that there were various errors linked to the status of registered voters, which it had failed to strike off the list.

“We are taking proactive steps to form a special body as recommended previously and we still do not have enough officers to implement it,” Wan Ahmad (picture) told the portal.

He was reported as saying the special supervisory unit will be staffed by government employees, as “outsiders” were not familiar with the electoral mechanism, its policies and other related issues and therefore, may cause more problems.

Wan Ahmad also was reported as saying the EC will soon be making public the new regulations concerning overseas voters and their eligibility to cast their ballot in the next elections.

“We will distribute the new regulations in Parliament, maybe next week, for voters who are abroad and will make major announcements nationwide.

“Even so they must return to Malaysia at least once in a five-year period to show their loyalty to the country. If they do not come back, they will not know the national political course; who is MP. This is not fair,” he told the news portal.

Opposition leaders and electoral reform group Bersih 2.0 have long pressed Putrajaya to clean up the electoral roll ahead of the 13th general elections.

Bersih 2.0’s other seven demands are reforming postal voting, the use of indelible ink, a minimum campaign period of 21 days, free access to the media, strengthening public institutions, putting a stop to corruption and ending dirty politics.