pywong
24th March 2012, 08:34 AM
Time to apply the screws on the SPR and the NRD.
‘Time for RCI on NRD’ (http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/03/23/time-for-rci-on-nrd/)G Vinod (http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/author/vinod/)
| March 23, 2012
An electoral reforms group wants a probe on the National Registration Department database first 'because the EC relies on NRD for verification of its electoral list'.
http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Election-300x202.jpg (http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2011/10/12/malay-votes-in-penang-may-swing-to-umno/attachment/election-3/)
PETALING JAYA: Tindak Malaysia, an NGO advocating electoral reforms, has called for a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) on the National Registration Department’s (NRD) registry.
As the Election Commission (EC) relies on NRD’s data for verification, Tindak Malaysia’s representative PY Wong said it was pertinent that the scrutiny starts with the NRD database itself.
“If there are problems with the NRD’s database, then it’s safe to assume that EC’s data is flawed as well,” said Wong.
Earlier today, STAR Sabah chief Jefrrey Kitingan alleged that the NRD’s mobile unit was giving away MyKads to foreigners in Semporna, Sabah. The MP for the constituency is Umno vice-president Shafie Apdal.
Legalised illegal immigrants are a big problem in Sabah but an issue that the Barisan Nasional government is hesitant to resolve as this group is now reportedly BN’s “fixed deposit”.
In Kuala Lumpur yesterday, PKR vice-president Fuziah Salleh said there was an influx of 18,568 new voters at the Pekan parliamentary constituency, where Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is the incumbent.
“In Kuantan, which is an urban area, there is an addition of about 5,000. But in Pekan, a rural seat, there is an addition of 18,568 voter,” Fuziah reportedly said.
However, EC deputy commissioner Wan Ahmad Wan Omar said the influx could be attributed to the surge of economic activities in the area and people changing their voting address there.
Speaking to FMT, Wong said that it was time that an RCI was established to also study whether there is a possibleconflict of interest when the EC appoints civil servants as its staff.
“Look at one of EC’s chief official, Christopher Wan. He used to head the Special Branch in Kuala Lumpur. What is a former Special Branch officer doing at the EC?
“In my view, not even staff of government-linked companies should be appointed as its registrar of electors. Get the manpower from the civil society movements committed to reforms,” he said.
Time for international observers
Commenting on the sudden surge of over 18,000 voters in Pekan, Wong scoffed at Wan Ahmad’s explanation on the matter, saying it was an attempt to defend the status quo.
“The new voters probably came from the Bermuda Triangle,” Wong said in a jest.
Meanwhile, Bersih 2.0 steering committee member Wong Chin Huat said the Pekan issue is a good enough reason why international observers should be allowed in Malaysia.
He said the Pekan constituency had always posed a problem as it had a high number of postal voters and foreign workers.
“Our data shows that Pekan is one of the top places that attracts foreign workers. We can understand if they flock to urban areas but why would they want to go to a rural area like Pekan?” said Chin Huat.
When told of Wan Ahmad’s justification, Chin Huat said the EC had a track record of spewing nonsense.
“If you want to convince the public, show us a breakdown of the 18,000 news voters. Give us a list of newly registered voters and those who changed their address to Pekan.
“Also, we urge the government not to hold the election without having electoral reforms first. Any election prior to that would result in us having an illegitimate government,” said Chin Huat.
EC’s reason justified
However, Malaysians for Free and Fair Elections (Mafrel) secretary-general Shaharuddin Othman said Wan Ahmad’s reasoning was justified.
“Pekan has an air force base. Probably, more officers got stationed there recently and that has caused the surge.
“And it’s true the area is becoming an industrial hub. Proton is setting up a plant there and I believe there are talks to build a Volkswagen plant there as well,” Shaharuddin said.
On why the need to station more army personnel in Pekan, he said the area was strategic as it was the closest to the Spratlys Island, a cluster of island being sought by many Southeast Asian countries and China.
“In the event of a conflict in the Spratlys, the air base in Pekan is the closest to the islands,” he said.
He also said the Pekan electoral list could be obtained from the EC, for free, anytime.
“And the EC does publish new voters’ list for a week before gazetting in order to allow objection from the public,” Shaharuddin said.
However, he agreed that foreign observers and the local ones should be allowed to monitor the elections.
“If we want international credibility, then we must allow international observers,” he said.
Also read:
Influx of 18,000 voters in Najib’s Pekan (http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/03/22/influx-of-18000-voters-in-najib%E2%80%99s-pekan/)
‘Free’ MyKads in Semporna? (http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/03/23/free-mykads-in-semporna/)
‘Time for RCI on NRD’ (http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/03/23/time-for-rci-on-nrd/)G Vinod (http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/author/vinod/)
| March 23, 2012
An electoral reforms group wants a probe on the National Registration Department database first 'because the EC relies on NRD for verification of its electoral list'.
http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Election-300x202.jpg (http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2011/10/12/malay-votes-in-penang-may-swing-to-umno/attachment/election-3/)
PETALING JAYA: Tindak Malaysia, an NGO advocating electoral reforms, has called for a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) on the National Registration Department’s (NRD) registry.
As the Election Commission (EC) relies on NRD’s data for verification, Tindak Malaysia’s representative PY Wong said it was pertinent that the scrutiny starts with the NRD database itself.
“If there are problems with the NRD’s database, then it’s safe to assume that EC’s data is flawed as well,” said Wong.
Earlier today, STAR Sabah chief Jefrrey Kitingan alleged that the NRD’s mobile unit was giving away MyKads to foreigners in Semporna, Sabah. The MP for the constituency is Umno vice-president Shafie Apdal.
Legalised illegal immigrants are a big problem in Sabah but an issue that the Barisan Nasional government is hesitant to resolve as this group is now reportedly BN’s “fixed deposit”.
In Kuala Lumpur yesterday, PKR vice-president Fuziah Salleh said there was an influx of 18,568 new voters at the Pekan parliamentary constituency, where Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is the incumbent.
“In Kuantan, which is an urban area, there is an addition of about 5,000. But in Pekan, a rural seat, there is an addition of 18,568 voter,” Fuziah reportedly said.
However, EC deputy commissioner Wan Ahmad Wan Omar said the influx could be attributed to the surge of economic activities in the area and people changing their voting address there.
Speaking to FMT, Wong said that it was time that an RCI was established to also study whether there is a possibleconflict of interest when the EC appoints civil servants as its staff.
“Look at one of EC’s chief official, Christopher Wan. He used to head the Special Branch in Kuala Lumpur. What is a former Special Branch officer doing at the EC?
“In my view, not even staff of government-linked companies should be appointed as its registrar of electors. Get the manpower from the civil society movements committed to reforms,” he said.
Time for international observers
Commenting on the sudden surge of over 18,000 voters in Pekan, Wong scoffed at Wan Ahmad’s explanation on the matter, saying it was an attempt to defend the status quo.
“The new voters probably came from the Bermuda Triangle,” Wong said in a jest.
Meanwhile, Bersih 2.0 steering committee member Wong Chin Huat said the Pekan issue is a good enough reason why international observers should be allowed in Malaysia.
He said the Pekan constituency had always posed a problem as it had a high number of postal voters and foreign workers.
“Our data shows that Pekan is one of the top places that attracts foreign workers. We can understand if they flock to urban areas but why would they want to go to a rural area like Pekan?” said Chin Huat.
When told of Wan Ahmad’s justification, Chin Huat said the EC had a track record of spewing nonsense.
“If you want to convince the public, show us a breakdown of the 18,000 news voters. Give us a list of newly registered voters and those who changed their address to Pekan.
“Also, we urge the government not to hold the election without having electoral reforms first. Any election prior to that would result in us having an illegitimate government,” said Chin Huat.
EC’s reason justified
However, Malaysians for Free and Fair Elections (Mafrel) secretary-general Shaharuddin Othman said Wan Ahmad’s reasoning was justified.
“Pekan has an air force base. Probably, more officers got stationed there recently and that has caused the surge.
“And it’s true the area is becoming an industrial hub. Proton is setting up a plant there and I believe there are talks to build a Volkswagen plant there as well,” Shaharuddin said.
On why the need to station more army personnel in Pekan, he said the area was strategic as it was the closest to the Spratlys Island, a cluster of island being sought by many Southeast Asian countries and China.
“In the event of a conflict in the Spratlys, the air base in Pekan is the closest to the islands,” he said.
He also said the Pekan electoral list could be obtained from the EC, for free, anytime.
“And the EC does publish new voters’ list for a week before gazetting in order to allow objection from the public,” Shaharuddin said.
However, he agreed that foreign observers and the local ones should be allowed to monitor the elections.
“If we want international credibility, then we must allow international observers,” he said.
Also read:
Influx of 18,000 voters in Najib’s Pekan (http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/03/22/influx-of-18000-voters-in-najib%E2%80%99s-pekan/)
‘Free’ MyKads in Semporna? (http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/03/23/free-mykads-in-semporna/)