EC: Rela members can't be postal voters

PAS need not worry that the People’s Volunteer Corp (Rela) recruitment boost be an attempt to increase postal voters for BN, as Rela members are not qualified to vote as postal voters, said the Election Commission (EC) today.

As such, said deputy EC chief Wan Ahmad Wan Omar ( right, in black jacket ), Rela member can only vote as civilians.

“Why is Pas saying there are quarters wanting to regiter Rela members as postal voters, when such a thing will not occur. Even if they (Rela members) ask for it, it will not be approved.

“They (PAS) need not worry, because if it is impossible for that to happen, as it is stipulated in the Election Regulations (Registration of Voters) 2002,” he told Malaysiakini when contacted today.

Ahmad said this in response to PAS information chief Idris Ahmad’s remarks about the matter following reports that Rela seeks to boost its membership in Selangor by as many as 300,000 members.

Idris ( left ) said if this happened, it would allow BN to reverse its dismal performance in the March 2008 general elections.

Ahmad said only personnel from the police, general forces and armed forces are recognised as qualified to register as postal voters.

He clarified further that the EC works closely with the National Registration Department to ensure that only serving personnel register as postal voters.

As soon as someone enters the (security) services, he or she will get an identity card, and his civilian identity card will be kept by NRD, said Ahmad.

“All this data is entered into EC computer (information) system. We can identify every postal voter based on the code number of their (police or army) identity card.

“So nobody can pose as a postal voter,” he added.

Ahmad said further that voter registration of security forces personnel is administered by a senior officer from the national police headquarters in Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur, as well as from the defence ministry, who are made EC assistant registrars.