EC chief takes blame for Selangor confusion
BY SIM LEOI LEOIPUTRAJAYA: Election Commission chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman has accepted responsibility for the fiasco in Selangor on polling day which prevented many from casting their votes.
However, he refused to accede to demands by opposition parties, particularly the DAP, Parti Keadilan Nasional and Parti Rakyat Malaysia, that he resign.
Abdul Rashid said the confusion came about because changes were made to the format of the electoral roll in Selangor and more than one polling station was set up in 56 polling districts in 16 parliamentary constituencies.
 |
HEAVY BURDEN: Abdul Rashid at the press conference at the EC media centre in Putrajaya Tuesday. He accepted responsibility for polling day blunders, and said the EC was agreeable to an external investigation if the commissioners are not satisfied with the report on the internal inquiry. |
Abdul Rashid said the commissioners had ordered an internal investigation and the report should be ready in 10 days.
“If the commissioners are not satisfied with the report, then we are open to suggestions that the EC allow an external investigation into the blunders on Sunday.
“And if the report indicates any wrong decisions on the part of the commission, all its members, including me, will resign,” he said, adding that the report was being prepared by EC secretary Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar.
Polling was disrupted in several areas on Sunday, particularly in Selangor, because of irregularities, including names missing from voter lists, a mistake in the party symbol of a candidate, and ballot papers ending up in the wrong polling stations.
To a question, Abdul Rashid said that opposition parties, which had threatened to challenge the election results, should accept their defeats graciously.
“If the courts decide that fresh polls should be called, I’ll be happy to conduct them. I still maintain that they have been carried out according to the law,” he said.
The EC also lodged a police report at the district police headquarters here yesterday over a mistake in the party symbols printed on ballot papers for the Sungai Lembing state seat in Pahang.
Fresh polls for that seat will be held this Sunday.
On the 590-majority win in Permatang Pauh by Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who was earlier reported to have lost by 36 votes to Barisan Nasional’s Datuk Pirdaus Ismail, Abdul Rashid said the confusion was caused by television stations flashing unofficial results.
In Kuala Lumpur, three election officers in the Segambut parliamentary constituency, including two polling centre chiefs, were removed following complaints that they had campaigned for the opposition in the election.
In Selangor and Kedah, police reports were also lodged over election irregularities.
News Poll
- Court ruling takes bite out of local council summonses
- Chin Peng apologises for death of innocents
- Girl and stepmum held over bid to kill first wife
- Biggest karaoke session a blast
- New evidence on MCA snoop squad case arrives at doorstep
- Teoh's second autopsy completed 3.15pm
- Victim’s dad nabs kidnapper
- Teoh’s body exhumed for second autopsy today
- Foreigner falls to her death from condominium
- Malaysians must get regular dental checks
- Court ruling takes bite out of local council summonses
- Chin Peng apologises for death of innocents
- Malaysians must get regular dental checks
- No licence to try offenders
- Big impact in ‘small’ man’s win
- New evidence on MCA snoop squad case arrives at doorstep
- Stop blanket approval for outsourcing, says union
- Weapons drawn for new battle
- Johor set to be a medical hub
- Joy for 2,500 housebuyers as SPNB takes over project
RSS
