EC slammed for conducting hearing despite objectors' absence

Tempers flared as new voters turned up at a public hearing by the Election Commission (EC) today, only to find out those who objected against their registrations, were absent. 

Although most of the voters were able to have the objections dismissed, and were compensated RM100 each, some were unhappy as they were not allowed to ask questions about those those who had filed objections against them. 

The hearing, for voters registered in Kuala Selangor, Tanjung Karang, Puchong, Ulu Selangor and Ulu Langat, was held at EC's branch in Shah Alam. 

The objections against the voters' new registrations were based on various grounds, including incomplete addresses, the voters residing outside their registered constituencies, and dubious details pertaining to their addresses. 

One such voter, Gan Pei Sze, 35, from Kuala Selangor, said she and her husband had to take the day off to attend the hearing, which ended in just five minutes. 

"I asked where was my objector, the offer simply said that I don't have to bother. I told him that I had come to see the objector, but I was not allowed to speak. 

"I think this (the hearing) is done in a haste, that's why I'm so angry. I don't even know who the objecter is. We have to work, my husband and I got took unpaid leaves to be here," she said. 

Meanwhile, student Tan Wei Hong said his registration faced an objection, for purportedly not providing a complete address and not residing at the Tanjung Karang constituency. 

He said his father had to take the day off to accompany him for the hearing. 

"The questions posed to me were quite boring. The EC officer asked me which direction was the hospital from my house, I answered. But when I asked him another question, he didn't answer. He just sent me off," said the 22-year-old. 

The RM100 compensation would not even cover their "loss" of coming all the way from Tanjung Karang to Shah Alam, he said. 

Meanwhile, DAP's Serdang MP Ong Kian Ming, who was monitoring the objection proceedings at the scene, said EC should have dismissed objections filed against voters, if the objectors were absent.

Ong said he cited Section 17 of the Election Act (Registration of Elector) 2002, which makes the presence of objectors compulsory, to one of the EC officers, but the officer told him that he can't read English. 

DAP had accused Umno of objecting to the registration of new voters in Selangor as a move to stop the reduce the number of Chinese voters.- Mkini