EC vouches for confidentiality in postal voting

The Election Commission (EC) today vouched for the confidentiality of the votes of postal voters, saying its officers are following procedures in having its officers jot down the serial numbers in two forms.

EC chairperson Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof toldMalaysiakini that the serial number is recorded on Form 2, a declaration on the identity of the voters to ensure that the voters get the proper and right ballot papers sent. 

His deputy Wan Ahmad Wan Omar, also defended the action that the number is also jotted down on the voter list kept by the EC, to ensure the postal voters do not claim later that the ballot papers are not sent. 

“There is no other intention. According to the law, we need to jot down the serial numbers in the voter list when the ballot papers are issued, along with the envelope. But all these document are then burnt and destroyed after the election results are gazetted after 31 days.

“There is no record where anyone could check. It is done this way to prevent the voters from accusing the EC of not issuing the ballot papers to them,” said Wan Ahmad.

He further added that when Form 2 is returned with the ballot paper and it tallies with the serial number, the form would be placed in another tray different from that for the ballot papers

Abdul Aziz further said that without Form 2, attached together during the counting process, it is impossible to know doe qhom the voters voted.

“The confidentiality of the vote is ensured. The votes are counted in front of all the agents and the candidates,” claimws the EC chief, who also vouched that the EC will look into the complaint over the Johor case. 

Wan Ahmad added that in his view the voters nowadays are not afraid to vote for their choice in the election.

The two top EC official were responding to Malaysiakini’s reporttoday on complaints by DAP Pengkalan Rinting state seat candidate Cheo Yee How (left), who saw an incident of EC officers jotting down the serial numbers during their visit to the EC operations centre in Johor Bahru to examine postal ballots.

“I suspect these serial numbers jotted down by the EC can be used to trace the ballots cast. This is against the principle that every vote should be kept secret,” Cheo was quoted as saying.  

‘All officers undergo proper training’

Wan Ahmad said the EC officers have undergone proper training and have been reminded and warned. 

He said all the work is supervised by the assistant returning officer who is responsible for this. 

“The voters need not worry as the system and voting process is ensured of confidentiality,” said the number two in the EC. 

“The people are advised not to believe all forms of baseless allegations. Whatever questions over the voting process or any others can be asked directly to the EC to get the actual information. The people can make queries via email or the EC website and the special 13th general election portal,” he said.