Umno branch leaders were made polls officers, says PKR

Perak PKR has urged the Election Commission (EC) chief Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof to explain its claim that Umno branch leaders were appointed as election officers on polling day.

Abdul Aziz should resign if he fails to provide a satisfactory explanation, said PKR central leadership council member Chang Lih Kang (right) and Perak deputy secretary Tan Kar Hing.

In a statement issued today, they named three Umno grassroots leaders - one deputy branch chief and two branch committee members - who were appointed as election officers in the Gopeng parliamentary constituency.

One was the polling chief of a polling channel, another was the coordinator of a polling station, and the third was a worker in a polling station.

Malaysiakini has withheld their names pending their response.

Chang said the EC had acted unfairly by appointing the three as election officers as they might influence the voting behaviour of the voters.

Chang defended his Teja state seat while Tan won the Simpang Pulai state seat. Both seats are under the parliamentary constituency of Gopeng.

Tan said he has received complaints of electoral irregularities in Gopeng from at least four individuals.

Two individuals, Wong Suet Mooi and Kaw Thiam Hee, were registered as voters without their consent; one voter, Khadijah Mat Zin, was informed that somebody has cast a vote on her behalf when she arrived at the polling centre at 10.15am; and another voter, Ganasagaran Thanapal, found that his name has been removed from the electoral roll. 

Tan and Chang also slammed the EC for practising double standards on polling day by banning voters clad in T-shirts bearing the word ‘Ubah’ from entering the polling centre but allowing in those wearing clothes with the ‘1Malaysia’ logo.