‘We weren’t allow to vote in Tapah’

Tapah Orang Asli claim their names were removed from electoral roll despite confirmation of eligibility to vote.

PETALING JAYA: Indigenous settlers of Kuala Woh, Tapah, have claimed their names were removed from the electoral roll despite confirmation of their eligibility to vote.

Kuala Woh settler Balali told FMT today that about 50 villagers were not only denied their right to vote, but were also prevented from leaving the village on polling day by Rela personnel and “orang BN (people working for Barisan Nasional)”.

“They had set up road blocks preventing the villagers from leaving the village on polling day,” he said.

“When we told them to let us out, they instigated a fight and even made death treats against the villagers,” he added, saying that the road blocks were erected on May 4 throughout polling day on May 5.

“Most of us did not want to fight… that is not the right way to solve a dispute. But it is sad that we had to give up our right to vote,” he said.

The affected natives are from Kampung Batu 7, Kampung Sungai Kebdrong, Kampung Puswoh and Kampung Enpang.

However, Balali and a group of friends were successful in evading the road block and managed to make their way to the polling station on Jalan Pahang.

“But when we reached the polling station, we were told that our names were not on the electoral roll,” he said.

“Prior to this, we had checked and all our names were on the list. Now, they have just disappeared,” he added.

“The villagers have done no wrong. I don’t understand why my village was chosen,” Balali lamented.

Asked how the villagers knew the people involved were from BN, Balali said the “officers” were “well-known among the villagers”.

“They had come into our village before and introduced themselves as Umno men,” he said.

“We all know them and thought them as friends. That is why it is so hard to accept (the situation).”

When contacted, the PKR candidate for the Tapah seat K Vasantha Kumar claimed that Orang Asli allowed into polling stations were “bribed by BN people”.

“I had spoken to those allowed into the polling stations, and they told me they were given bribes by BN,” he told FMT.

Vasantha Kumar has since filed an election petition to challenge the election result.

He had also lodged six police reports throughout the campaign period on threats received by his assistants.

Vasantha Kumar lost the Tapah parliamentary seat to incumbent, MIC’s M Saravanan by 7,927 votes.