Problems with JPN data complicate voter registration, says EC

EC is facing difficulties in carrying out registration of new young voters.

KUALA LUMPUR: Election Commission (EC) chairman Azhar Harun admits that the commission is facing several problems when using data provided by the National Registration Department (JPN) to identify voters’ information.

He said EC was forced to conduct its own checks to verify the data after JPN listed several individuals, who would have been around 150 years old if they were still alive today.

“The provision under the law requires EC officers to be satisfied. If they are not, then they should go to the ground and check,” he said.

Azhar said data given by JPN showed an estimated 76,000 voters above the age of 90.

He said the commission took all efforts to go to the ground to obtain information but lack of staff was sometimes a setback in carrying out the verification exercise.

Azhar added the EC resorted to checking with telecommunication companies, Astro, the Employees Provident Fund and even banks to find out if this group of voters were still alive.

In June, Parliament unanimously passed a bill to lower the voting age from 21 to 18 years. - FMT