P.140
Segamat (13th General Election on May 5, 2013)
46,262 (20,093/43.43% Malays;
21,393/46.24% Chinese; 4,641/10.03% Indians)
Vote for Change, for our children’s future
Thursday, 25 April 2013 11:46
ANWAR
DROPS BOMBSHELL: EC vans diverted ballot boxes to secret hiding place
Written by Wong Choon Mei, Alaa Soleiman, Malaysia Chronicle
Anwar Ibrahim dropped a bombshell on Thursday, exposing alleged attempts by
the Election Commission to "divert" ballot boxes meant to be sent to
its headquarters in Putrajaya to a secret hiding place in an industrial park in
Kajang.The 64-year-old Anwar demanded that the EC - which has frequently been accused of favoring Prime Minister Najib Razak's Umno party - explain the matter immediately.
"We believe these polyester big square bags, ballot boxes, meant for Putrajaya headquarters were stopped by EC Pajero and instructed to divert to Jalan SC2, Sungai Chua, Kajang. These are polyester big square bags diverted on 8 April 2013, why such a dubious manner, the EC has to immediately explain. These ballot boxes were covered as polyester big square bags meant for Election Commission headquarters were diverted midway at the toll to the industrial site Jalan SC2, Sungai Chua. These are questions that the EC must immediately explain," Anwar told a press conference on Thursday.
There is fear that among the possible electoral fraud that could be perpetrated during the May 5 general election are that boxes of pre-ticked ballot papers might be brought out to substitute actual ones in certain "hot seat" constituencies.
Dirtiest ever
Malaysia's 13th general elections is widely expected to be the toughest and "dirtiest" in the nation's history.
Anwar's Pakatan Rakyat coalition has been making strong advances and is rated by many as having a better than even chance to win. Najib's Umno-BN coalition is trying its best to stave off the challenge and Najib himself has previously vowed to defend the federal government at all costs even if it entailed "crushed bones" and "lost lives".
Many analysts including experts from abroad believe the race is still too "close to call".
"An opposition victory will depend not just on the will of the voters, whatever that might be, but also on ensuring that electoral fraud and intimidation are kept to a minimum," John Malott, the former US ambassador to Malaysia, said in a speech to the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday
Instigated violence, vote buying, foreign voters
Meanwhile, Anwar also revealed several other alleged attempts at electoral fraud including vote buying and illegal foreign voters. He also condemned the spiking violence at the political rallies that are now being held throughout the nation.
According to him, the "intimidation and level of violence" against Pakatan party workers, Pemantau and civil society volunteers was increasing. Over 400 police reports have been lodged, whilst vote buying and bribery are rampant, he alleged.
"BN is so worried that they will lose and are desperately bribing voters with gifts, cash and cash vouchers ranging from RM50 in Penang to RM1,000 in Sabah. There is video evidence of this vote buying and it will be released in the next few days," Anwar said.
Sabah, Selangor (Gombak and Ampang) the worst affected
The Opposition Leader also thrashed the EC for not cleaning up the electoral roll as it had promised to do. According to Anwar, he had information of a "shocking" 28,593 voters on the roll who were not qualified to vote.
"In another report and analysis of the Electoral Roll which will be released very soon, there are some shocking revelations, 28,593 registered voters are designated as Indonesians, Filipinos, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis - nationalities from countries with high number of workers in Malaysia. Sabah alone has 15,907 of registered foreign voters, majority of whom are Filipinos and Indonesians. Selangor has the next highest number with 4,324 foreign voters," said Anwar, adding that Gombak and Ampang were the 2 worst-hit areas in Selangor.
"The majority of these foreign voters will be voting in Sabah, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur. Parliamentary constituencies with the highest number of foreign voters include Selam, Kibaran, Kelabakan. Sepanggar, Putauan and Tawau . What is even more disturbing is that 16,589 of these foreign voters are assigned with the Sabah 'KodNegeri' even though they are from Indonesia or Philippines. There are even 42 foreign voters from Philippines, Indonesia and Pakistan in the army and police registered as 'pengundi pos' (postal voters)."
He demanded that the EC clarify immediately the existence of these foreign voters in the Electoral Roll and why they had been designated as local “KodNegeri” in their identity cards.
"Sabahans and Malaysians in general are being cheated if their democratic choice. BN is still dragging its feet on how to fix the 'Project IC' problem it has created. For Pakatan Rakyat, it is clear. We will order the Election Commission to clean up the electoral roll within our first 100 days in government," Anwar said.
"I urge all legitimate voters to come out on May 5 and cast their votes. Do not let those who have corrupted our electoral system steal democracy from you. We must protect our rights as Malaysians."
Malaysia Chronicle
