The names of dead voters can now be deleted from the electoral roll immediately by the Election Commission (EC) with only a death report by the certifying agencies such as the police.  

Home Ministry secretary-general Mahmood Adam said this was made possible through the Agency Link-Up System (ALIS), which is an online network linking the National Registration Department (NRD) with various agencies.

“As such, the name of a dead person can be immediately removed to resolve the issue of phantom voters,” he told reporters at the launching of the New Death Registration Document/Burial Permit and the presentation of certificates of appreciation at the NRD in Putrajaya.

He said among the agencies benefiting from the online network were the Public Services Department, Employees Provident Fund and Inland Revenue Board.   

Mahmood said the Dewan Rakyat had on Oct 3 last year, appointed the parliamentary select committee on electoral reforms to look into various issues of the electoral process.  

He said following that, 12 days of public hearing session were held at several locations including Kota Kinabalu, Kuching and Kota Baru from Nov 11.

“From the findings of the public hearing sessions, the majority of the organisations, associations and individuals involved wanted the issue of phantom voters resolved by the EC and at the same time requested the NRD to update its death registration.

“The NRD has actually been updating the Death Document Registration and Burial Permit since Dec 1 last year and all public hearing sessions were informed,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mahmood said death reports received by the NRD for December 2010 totalled 11,604 compared to 11,284 in December 2011, while there were 11,831 recorded deaths in January 2011 compared to 12,316 in January 2012.

- Bernama