Election Comission (EC) chief Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof's statement that there are no truly clean electoral rolls in the world is “shameful” and does not address the root of the EC's problems, PAS vice-president Mahfuz Omar said today.

NONE "This statement is very shameful. A statement (like this) should not be issued by the chairperson of an independent body such as the EC.

"It should instead look at the problems of how to ensure the process of voter registration and elections can be held well and transparently," Mahfuz said.

The root of the problem, he said, was not with the electoral roll but with those quarters who were abusing the electoral system.

"The issue in this country now is that there are parties who are trying to mongotorkan (sully) the electoral system and the electoral roll," he said.

Insincere, unwilling

pas seminar 071109 tuan ibrahim Echoing Mahfuz’s remarks, PAS information chief Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man also slammed Aziz and the EC for what the Islamist party said was the commission’s “thorough lack” of will to rectify irregularities in the electoral roll.

In a statement, Tuan Ibrahim ( right ) said the EC chairperson had contended himself with blaming “technical errors”, without trying to identify the causes of those irregularities.

This, said Tuan Ibrahim, reflected the commission’s lack of sincerity to improve the electoral system.

Mahfuz also accused the government and EC of being “unpatriotic” by giving out citizenship to foreigners to win votes.

“This is what I mean by sullying the electoral process. They give citizenship not because people qualify for it but because of Umno and BN’s political mileage.

“The EC and Umno and government leaders have lost their patriotism. This is very dangerous when their patriotism is lost to such extend that they will sell and pawn the future, sovereignty and security of this country,” Mahfuz said.

‘EC should be reshuffled’

He also questioned the granting of citizenship to Nismah Naim, or Mismah, who last week was found to be categorised as a permanent resident on the National Registration Department (NRD) website despite being listed in the Election Commission's electoral roll.

The NRD later clarified that Mismah was granted citizenship in January this year, after having been a permanent resident for 29 years.

“Citizenship should be given when a person can contribute to the economy and development of the country… I don’t mean to insult Mismah, but what expertise does she have that can help move the country’s economy and development?” Mahfuz asked.

Pointing out the EC’s lack of patriotism, the PAS leader called for the EC to be reshuffled before the next general election.

“All the officials in the EC must be changed before the next general election. An independent committee under Parliament must be set up to choose credible candidates to manage the EC and not for the government to choose the candidates to be recommended to the Agong,” he said.

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