PKR to consider forensic audit on polls after outcry

PETALING JAYA: PKR will decide within a week if it needs to audit the unofficial results of its recent polls, says party election committee head Dr Zaliha Mustafa.

She said she has been communicating with former Perak PKR chief Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak regarding his complaints on the unofficial results, and they are considering conducting a forensic audit.

“They asked for a forensic audit; that’s fair for me. So, we can consider that to show our integrity.

“We will make a decision as soon as possible, because we are looking at a few more things, such as the complaints. We should come to a decision within a week,” said Dr Zaliha.

When asked, she said there were “a few hundred complaints” from candidates.

“We have a complaints panel to look at it. Some complaints are about (vote counting irregularities), but we are still detailing it,” said Dr Zaliha.

On Tuesday morning, Farhash reiterated calls for a forensic audit on the unofficial results of the party elections, saying that there were many complaints and objections from candidates.

He also claimed the results were manipulated, as the vote counting process took place without the presence of third parties or candidate representatives to verify the figures.

Farhash also questioned the delay of several days in announcing the results.

“The general election involving millions of Malaysian voters and vote counting is done physically.

“However for the general election the results are available in mere hours,” he said.

He added that he and dissatisfied candidates will only accept the results of the party elections if their concerns were addressed.

“I hope this will not repeat in coming polls so that the party’s election system is truly free from any interference,” he said.

Farhash said he also hopes the party’s election committee would take into account the views of those objecting to the unofficial results.

“If we are shouting ‘reformasi’, then we should practise that in our own party,” he added.

The official results of the PKR polls will be announced at the party’s congress on June 25 and 26.