Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Shahidan Kassim is sore over what he claims as a trend of "undetectable voters" and hostile political activists.
According to Shahidan, who led the Perlis Umno team to campaign at four polling districts in the Sungai Limau by-election, his team found "many" voters on the roll who do not live there nor related to locals.
He said the "undetectable voters" were likely deliberately registered in Sungai Limau for the purpose of the election despite not having any links to the area.
"The opposition talks about phantom voters, and we had no idea what they meant.
"Now I realise that the bad hats will cry foul before committing the deed. Like in P Ramlee movies where the burglar joins the chase to catch the burglar himself," he said.
According to Shahidan, who led the Perlis Umno team to campaign at four polling districts in the Sungai Limau by-election, his team found "many" voters on the roll who do not live there nor related to locals.
"The opposition talks about phantom voters, and we had no idea what they meant.
"Now I realise that the bad hats will cry foul before committing the deed. Like in P Ramlee movies where the burglar joins the chase to catch the burglar himself," he said.
In the Sungai Besar polling district, he said, there are few residents but many voters "possibly because of pondok (Islamic schools) students" there.
On top of that, he said, his team was "verbally abused" by elderly PAS supporters, who tried to "cast a spell on (Shahidan)".
"I asked them: 'Why are you trying to challenge me, aunties? Don't you know I am a strong man and Malaya's dreamboat (jejaka idaman)?'...It's not fair, not fair," he lamented.
On top of that, he said, his team was "verbally abused" by elderly PAS supporters, who tried to "cast a spell on (Shahidan)".
"I asked them: 'Why are you trying to challenge me, aunties? Don't you know I am a strong man and Malaya's dreamboat (jejaka idaman)?'...It's not fair, not fair," he lamented.
'Umno doesn't have horns'
He said scuffles broke out in several areas because supporters from both sides "lost their heads" (naik sheikh) because located close to one another by the Election Commission (EC).
"The opposition talk of democracy but they do not teach their supporters to watch their mouths. I respect opposition leaders and never verbally abuse them.
"They seem to born to hate Umno, maybe believing that Umno has horn but this is a deviant way to be and I vow to correct these youngsters' behaviour," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby.
He said the EC cannot say they were unable to control the situation and take pre-emptive measures.
Meanwhile, Shahidan, who is the government spokesperson for the EC, said the EC told him there was nothing that can be done about the "undetectable voters".
"I was told the roll has been gazetted and the only time protests are allowed was within 14 days after the draft roll is displayed.
"So I urge locals to protest this encroachment by outsiders when the roll is displayed... Umno workers are not dilligently vetting the roll (for such discrepancies)."
Loophole
He also said that winning by re-arranging voters is not a "real win" and all parties should not engage in such practices.
"I hope the Parliamentary Select Committee on Elections can take this into consideration," he said, adding he will provide figures of such discrepancies in Sungai Limau to the Dewan Rakyat tomorrow.
The EC registers voters according to their identity card addresses, while addresses can be easily changed at the National Registration Department without much vetting.
This is a loophole which allows shifting of non-resident voters, which has previously been raised by Pakatan Rakyat.
Sungai Limau is a PAS stronghold and was retained by the Islamic party with a reduced majority during Monday's by-election.
He said scuffles broke out in several areas because supporters from both sides "lost their heads" (naik sheikh) because located close to one another by the Election Commission (EC).
"The opposition talk of democracy but they do not teach their supporters to watch their mouths. I respect opposition leaders and never verbally abuse them.
He said the EC cannot say they were unable to control the situation and take pre-emptive measures.
Meanwhile, Shahidan, who is the government spokesperson for the EC, said the EC told him there was nothing that can be done about the "undetectable voters".
"I was told the roll has been gazetted and the only time protests are allowed was within 14 days after the draft roll is displayed.
"So I urge locals to protest this encroachment by outsiders when the roll is displayed... Umno workers are not dilligently vetting the roll (for such discrepancies)."
Loophole
He also said that winning by re-arranging voters is not a "real win" and all parties should not engage in such practices.
"I hope the Parliamentary Select Committee on Elections can take this into consideration," he said, adding he will provide figures of such discrepancies in Sungai Limau to the Dewan Rakyat tomorrow.
The EC registers voters according to their identity card addresses, while addresses can be easily changed at the National Registration Department without much vetting.
This is a loophole which allows shifting of non-resident voters, which has previously been raised by Pakatan Rakyat.
Sungai Limau is a PAS stronghold and was retained by the Islamic party with a reduced majority during Monday's by-election.

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