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________________ Press Conference (2)
Such biasedness against opposition parties and favouritism to BN only proves DAP’s claims that EC is behaving no different than being an agent of BN to help BN to win by hook or by crook whether using politics of fear, cheating, compulsion, money and even violence. Now BN possesses an ally in the EC to conduct the next general elections in its favour and ensuring its victories. That BN controls the EC is clearly demonstrated by their opposition to the use of indelible ink on voters to prevent multiple voting and other electoral abuses. Ever since EC Chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid bin Abdul Rahman’s proposal to use indelible ink on the thumb of voters to safeguard against multiple or phantom voting, BN parties have strongly opposed it unanimously.
Acceptance of DAP’s proposal using indelible ink not valid unless approved by BN? Since such opposition by BN, the EC has suddenly remained strangely silent and there is no news about using indelible ink. The latest BN leader to oppose the EC’s proposal was Gerakan secretary-general Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye who said the Election Commission proposal was an outdated method. No one can understand Chia’s logic that it is outdated when it is uncontroversial, cheap and effective in preventing fraud in the electoral process from phantom voters or multiple voting. The use of indelible ink and oversight of postal voters by opposition monitors during the voting process, which were one of the 10 proposal agreed to by Tan Sri Abdul Rashid when a DAP delegation led by me met him on 1st June 2007. The other proposals for electoral reform such as free media access, upholding the principle of one-man one-vote, enforcing election spending rules and cleaning up the electoral rolls. If the proposal of using indelible ink accepted by Rashid is rejected, this will only confirm DAP’s claims that the EC is neither independent nor fair and is unable to perform its constitutional duty of ensuring free, fair, clean and neutral elections. This will make Malaysia a sham democracy where voters can not choose their wakil rakyats and leaders. DAP has a duty to prevent both BN and EC from perverting the people’s democratic choice. There have already been complaints of unfair targeting of constituencies held by the opposition whether in terms of missing voters, reductions in number of voters in DAP voting districts/constituencies in contrast to high increases of voters in BN areas. Such manipulation is most evident in marginal seats. EC illegally transferring voting districts in and out of DAP constituencies The latest expose of such unfair, dirty and illegal electoral tactics by BN is the transferring out of an entire voting district, which occurred in Ipoh Barat Parliamentary constituency. Taman Silibin, a housing estate comprising 800 voters was part of Ipoh Barat during the 2004 general elections, but is now transferred out to Batu Gajah.(or from Buntong state seat to Jelapang) As Ipoh Barat was won by the DAP by a slim 598 votes, such a transfer of an entire voting district with 800 voters which has been our stronghold, into Batu Gajah has deep implications for our efforts to retain Ipoh Barat. Batu Gajah was won by a large majority of 7,927 votes. A different case of transferring is in a mainly Malay civil servant area, Taman STPK Pengkalan. Originally, from Sungai Rapat Setia state constituency in Gopeng Parliamentary seat this was transferred into Pasir Pinji state seat in Ipoh Timor Parliamentary seat. As we won Pasir Pinji by 2,841 votes, BN is clearly eying the state seat. DAP will not keep silent at such outrageous fraud perpetrated by EC to rob voters of their rights. DAP will mount a strong challenge and will employ every measure, including court action, to reinstate the voting district in Ipoh Barat. To prevent BN and EC from perverting the people’s choice with such such dirty tactics to win over marginal seats, all party members and leaders must exercise special vigilance. The two teams will be headed by DAP National Organising Secretary and MP for Cheras Tan Kok Wai and DAP National Publicity Secretary and MP for Seputih Teresa Kok. Sdr Tan Kok Wai will be responsible for the five states of Penang, Kedah, Perak, Selangor and Federal Territory. Teresa Kok will be responsible for Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak. The members in Tan Kok Wai negotiating teams are DAP National Vice-Chair and Penang State Chair Chow Kon Yeow(MP Tanjung), DAP Wanita chief Sdri Chong Eng(MP Bukit Mertajam), Perak State Chair Sdr Ngeh Koo Ham(ADUN Sitiawan), DAP National Vice-Chair Sdr Kulasegaran(MP Ipoh Barat), DAP National Treasurer Sdr Fong Kui Lun (MP Bukit Bintang) and DAP CEC member Sdr Ronnie Liu. The members in Sdri Teresa Kok’s team are National Vice-Chair Sdr Wong Ho Leng(ADUN Bukit Assek) Deputy Secretary-General Sdr Ahmad Ton, DAP National Political Education Director Sdr Anthony Loke, CEC members Sdr Chong Chien Jen (MP Kuching and ADUN Bukit Sentosa), Sdr Leong Ngah Ngah(ADUN Triang), Sdr Teng Chang Khim(ADUN Sungai Pinang) and Sdr A. Sivanesan. The DAP CEC also decided to postpone party elections at both the national and state levels by one year as empowered under the constitutional amendments approved by the Special Congress on 6 May 2007.
* Lim Guan Eng, Secretary-General of DAP |