PAS will lodge a complaint with the Election Commission (EC) tomorrow over the airlifting of Orang Asli ballot boxes from voting centres and not being counted on-site.

“We want to stop the EC from airlifting the boxes. Who knows what can happen to the ballot papers in the boxes while en route by helicopter.

NONE “We believe there is room for fraud while the boxes are airborne since our election monitors cannot follow on the aircraft,” said the party’s election director for Galas Abdul Fatah Harun ( left ) during an emergency press conference at PAS campaign headquarters in Gua Musang.

According to him, the four areas from where the boxes will be airlifted to the main counting centre in Gua Musang civic hall are Belatim, Balar, Hau and Bihai.

“We believe that in those areas, the votes will be leaning towards us,” he said, indicating fear that the BN may tamper with Orang Asli votes to cancel out any advantage to PAS.

Secret inroads

This, he said, is because PAS has been making secret inroads into the Orang Asli settlement once thought of as BN strongholds.

“We have reached an understanding with the Orang Asli over the issue of land, and we have moved to gazette land for them, as announced by the Kelantan MB Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat yesterday in Lojing.

“They understand that the state government has the power over land matters,” said Abdul Fatah, hinting af an accord struck with the Orang Asli for them to defect from BN.

Asked why it took so long for PAS to file the complaint, the Bukit Tuku assemblyperson said that the party only recently found out about the matter and was waiting for their lawyers to study the legal angles.

“Our lawyers assured us that there is legal cause for our complaint. We will complain and if our complaint is rejected by the EC, we will bring the matter to court for obtain justice,” he said.

The fear of tampering by the BN for heli-borne ballot boxes has been a recurring worry for the opposition coalition, as in most cases their party agents are not allowed to come on board to escort the ballot boxes.

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