Saifuddin: E-voting only for PKR elections, no more paper ballots

GEORGE TOWN (Bernama): Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) elections this time around will eradiate the use of paper ballots and members will make choose their leaders using an e-voting system, says Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (pic).

The PKR secretary-general said this would smoothen and accelerate the voting process involving more than 800,000 party members nationwide.

He said that the e-voting system was undergoing tests to weed out and eradicate any bugs before the elections sometime between August and September.

"In the past two party elections, we used a paper voting process. This time there is no more paper and we go online immediately.

"Party members need to be present at voting centres and present their identity cards to confirm their membership," he told reporters after visiting Pasar Bayan Baru on Saturday, (July 7), adding that members will be then be handed gadgets where they can vote for their chosen candidates.

Saifuddin also said that with the e-voting system, the counting and calculation process would be done away with as everything would be done by the system.

The full results, he said, would be announced by the PKR election committee after the process was completed.

Saifuddin, who is also Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister, said PKR planned to carry out the polling process according to zones and preparations were being made so that it would run smoothly.

He also noted that PKR was the only party to grant every member the right to choose their leaders.

"PKR welcomed over 300,000 new members from May 9 to June 26, and now we have more than 800,000 members, all of whom will vote.

"I hope they will show discipline during the elections because we are now a Government party, "he said.

Meanwhile, Saifuddin denied allegations on social media that fees amounting to tens of thousands of ringgit would be imposed on candidates who want to contest.

He acknowledged that there was a proposal to impose fees on candidates to finance and cover the cost of the elections, but said the amount had yet to be determined.

"It is just a proposal and is still at the discussion stage and I assure that the fee imposed will be reasonable – especially for candidates at the branch level," he said, adding that a circular will be issued on the matter soon.

The online rumour alleged that candidates for the post of president have to pay RM25,000; deputy president (RM20,000); vice president (RM10,000) and central leadership council members (RM5,000).

The message also alleged that at wings level candidates for heads have to pay RM10,000; deputy head (RM7,000); vice head (RM5,000) and leadership council members (RM3,000) while those at branch level will be charged between RM500 to RM200. – Bernama