Electoral watchdog Bersih today criticised the Election Commission for apparently trying to cover up for the home minister for a statement he made while campaigning in Teluk Intan.

According to Bersih, Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's claim that he knows which of the People's Volunteer Corp (Rela) members had voted in the last polls and urging them to vote BN breaches the Election Offences Act 1954.

“Such flagrant violations and abuses cannot continue. The monitoring and enforcement authorities, being well under the ruling party's control, are not heeding the call of the people to do their duty

“The greatest culprit of them all, the EC, has so far reduced its role to a mere spectator when such crimes are committed in broad daylight,” Bersih vice chairperson Toh Kin Woon (above) said.

Speaking at a press conference in Teluk Intan, he said that the EC is duty-bound under the Federal Constition to ensure the integrity of the polls and is not fulfilling its duty.

Zahid must resign

Meanwhile, former Bersih steering committee member Wong Chin Huat said the EC cannot side with Zahid when it comes to election offences.

“It cannot save Zahid by saying that his remark was merely an advise and Zahid, himself, cannot say he was merely joking about something which is an offence. He must resign as minister,” Wong (right) said.

Bersih will lodged a report on Zahid's statement at the Hilir Perak police district headquarters this afternoon.

Meanwhile, Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah said that the organisation also holds a dim view of parties providing free transportation to voters.

“We don't agree with free transportation for voters. But we have no problems for subsidised transportation as there is a provision for that in the law,” she said.

She was referring to the subsidised bus services provided by DAP to transport voters residing in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to Teluk Intan for polling day this Saturday.

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