PKR polls: Unhappy Farhash wants forensic audit after Gombak defeat

 

Fresh from an unofficial loss in the PKR Gombak division chief race to Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari, defeated candidate Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak is calling for a forensic audit of the voting process.

In a statement posted on his Facebook, he expressed his doubts about the transparency and truthfulness of the process.

"After examining the unofficial results of the PKR 2022 Election issued by the election committee just now, I would like to express my deepest doubts about the transparency and truthfulness of the results issued.

"My team has strong evidence and documentation to express formal objections, with calls for the party to conduct a forensic audit of the decision process and its implementation methods.

"Our objection is to the results of the physical voting as well as the online voting in which we found the results for the Gombak branch to be unreasonable, compared to the physical presence of our supporters as well as the online voting that we recorded," said Farhash.

He called for a forensic report examining online and physical voting to be conducted by an independent body agreed to by all parties.

"I hope the committee and the party leadership take appropriate action and rectify the situation if it is proven that the electoral system and results have been compromised," he said.

The Gombak seat was won in the last three elections by former PKR president Azmin Ali who defected as one of the masterminds of the Sheraton Move that plunged Malaysia into prolonged political chaos.

Amirudin did not defect alongside him and has remained as Selangor menteri besar but Farhash's challenge was seen as a move to force him out.

Amirudin bagged 1,858 votes compared to Farhash's 1,215.

‘More dubious results’

Terengganu PKR chairperson Azan Ismail has also called for a forensic audit into the party’s election process, saying there have been issues which put its legitimacy into doubt.

Terengganu PKR chairperson Azan Ismail

“This election has seen more and more dubious results raised by many candidates who are contesting,” he said in a statement today.

Among the examples he raised are branches where the number of counted voters is less than the supposed number of voters for the branch, or branches where the number of votes counted exceeded the number of registered voters.

Azan, who is also contesting for the vice-president post, claimed there were branches where the physical number of voters contradicted what is shown in the unofficial results.

“Such matters raise serious doubts about the ADIL system used in the party election this time and more worrying for the candidates is the question of whether this system has been compromised or manipulated by certain parties.

“This assumption is further reinforced by bizarre procedures in which the announcement of results is delayed long after voting is completed for states and is inconsistent,” he added.

Azan said, for example, the Hulu Selangor branch which underwent the re-voting process yesterday, was able to announce its new unofficial results together with the rest of Selangor.

Meanwhile, the results from states such as Kedah and Johor, which were the earliest to complete their voting, have yet to be announced as of the time of his statement.

“I think this is a solid basis to urge the party to conduct a forensic audit of this election by an independent entity, without the involvement of stakeholders in this party election.

“This is to convince members and the general public that the party's election is not compromised by misconduct and manipulation,” Azan said. - Mkini