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Press Statement

by Lim Guan Eng

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(Petaling Jaya, Friday) : DAP is not surprised at the revelation in the Berita Harian yesterday by EC secretary Datuk Kamaruzaman Mohd Noor that some AROs had abused their powers by moving the names of voters to other areas without permission. Kamaruzaman said that the officers had moved the names of new or existing voters by forging signatures on application forms, and the EC had approved and changed the addresses, believing the applications were genuine.

DAP is surprised is Kamaruzaman’s admission of failing to punish the errant AROs with legal action and that only their powers have been reduced to registering new voters and not change addresses, which he deed, sufficient to maintain the integrity and credibility of the EC. This is self-contradictory in that instead of being sacked and prosecuted in court, these errant AROs are still allowed to operate in the EC with reduced powers despite having abused their powers by manipulating the electoral rolls. Would anyone in their right mind still employ a convicted pedophile in a kindergarten?

Kamaruzaman is either deceiving the public or ignorant of election laws in Malaysia if he says that EC has no legal powers to punish the errant AROs. Malaysian elections laws have provisions against such malpractices but like other elections laws such as spending limits of RM 200,000 for parliamentary seats and RM 100,000 for state seats, the election laws are marked more by breaches that escape unpunished than its compliance.

AROs who abuse their powers can be punished under section 3(1) of the Election Offences Act 1954 in connection with any false statement or fraudulent act. The punishment carries an imprisonment not exceeding two years or to a fine not exceeding five thousand ringgit or to both as well as loss of his political rights to vote or stand for elections for 5 years.

Despite such powers to punish, Kamaruzaman refuses to assume responsibility but continues to blame the dishonest actions of AROs for causing some to say that the EC’s registration system was not clean and complete, and that it gave an advantage to certain parties. Clearly it is the refusal by the EC to use Section 3(1) of the Election Offences Act 1954 against AROs that abused their powers to manipulate the electoral rolls is a breach of trust and abdication of EC’s public responsibility to uphold the independence, impartiality and legal authority of elections laws in Malaysia.

There is no point in the EC or Kamaruzaman coming out with their EC’s Voters Education series such as “Ketelusan Sistem Pendaftaran Dan Penyemakan Daftar Pemilih dan Isu-Isu Semasa Berhubung Dengannya” to educate the public when the EC needs to educate itself first of the importance of wiping out abuses and ensuring a clean, free, fair and neutral election process.

Apart from moving of voters, Kamaruzaman also listed 5 other issues of names of voters who have died still in the electoral rolls, those voters not residing in the address registered, too many voters registered in one single address, voters not having a proper residential address and mistakes in personal data of voters. There is no point highlighting these perennial issues raised by opposition parties when no action is taken by EC. The failure to act has caused EC to be seen as an election agent of BN who will resort to any means by hook or by crook to ensure the dishonest victories of BN.

Why no mention of the planting of 8,463 new voters in the Ipoh Timor Parliamentary in only three months during the second quarter of 1.4.2007 to 30.6.2007?

Why is there no mention of the planting of 8,463 new voters in the Ipoh Timor Parliamentary constituency in only 3 months during the second quarter of 1.4.2007 to 30.6.2007? Any failure to respond will only deepen suspicions that EC is working hand in glove with BN in using such dirty, dishonorable and desperate tactics to overhaul Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang’s majority of 9,774 votes and DAP ADUN for Pasir Pinji (under the Ipoh Timor Parliamentary seat) Thomas Su’s majority of 2,841 votes in the 2004 general elections.

Thomas Su had made the shocking discovery of 8,463 new voters in the Ipoh Timor during the second quarter or 1 April to 30 June 2007 as follows:-

1. The wholesale transfer of the entire 2,231 voters in the Pengkalan Pegoh polling station in the Sungai Rapat state constituency/ Gopeng Parliamentary constituency to Pasir Pinji state constituency/ Ipoh Timor Parliamentary constituency;

2. The sudden increase in postal voters by 3,208 even though there are no new army camps nor new police stations; and

3. The extraordinary increase in new voters or those transferred into Ipoh Timor of 3,024 new voters when the normal increase in each quarter is only 400 new voters.

Such an increase of 8,463 voters in only 3 months has turned a safe DAP seat into a marginal seat for the DAP. This unusual and extraordinary quantum increase in voters may not only end there as the third quarter voters figures from 1 July 2007 to 30 September 2007 are still not out. If the 3rd quarter increase in voters are the same as those in the second quarter, then Lim Kit Siang or any other DAP candidate standing in Ipoh Timor face the possibility of losing not because they were rejected by genuine local voters but by foul means of “phantom” voters planted by certain irresponsible quarters.

Malaysians know that Lim Kit Siang has been the sworn enemy of corruption, abuses of power and gross mismanagement. He has been a dedicated defender of the poor, oppressed, discriminated and voiceless. There are strong forces and efforts made to ensure that he is defeated and his fearless voice that makes Ministers tremble and the corrupt quake in their feet no longer heard in Parliament. To win and lose in electoral battles is normal, but DAP would not accept any defeat brought about by unscrupulous manipulation.

DAP would explore all possibilities to correct such abuses as we would not permit the democratic principle and right of Ipoh Timor voters of electing our wakil rakyat to be robbed or disenfranchised by such dishonest and illegal means.