Poll watchdog Malaysia for Free Election (Mafrel) is unlikely to get an official observer status to oversee the Pengkalan Pasir by-election in Kelantan tomorrow.

Returning officer Abdul Halim Ahmad said to date there has been no instruction from the Election Commission (EC) to allow Mafrel to observe the 10 polling stations in the constituency.

"I'm aware of the application. It was sent to the commission's headquarters in Putrajaya. However, I have not received any directive to allow or deny the application," he told a press conference in Pasir Mas.

Mafrel chairperson Abdul Malek Hussein said he was puzzled why the returning officer refused to approve his application as the matter does not need to be referred to EC headquarters.

"The RO (returning officer) is allowed under the law to approve the application but he declined to do so. I don't understand," he said when met later.

He said the denial would mean that Mafrel which has more than 23 volunteers would have to observe the election from outside the polling stations.

"We can only observe the environment from outside. We will not be able to observe the process of polling and counting and ensure that these processes comply with the election laws," he added.

Abdul Malek expressed regret over the EC's refusal to recognise Mafrel's efforts to ensure that elections are conducted in a clean and free manner.

"We sent our application for the observer's status as early as Nov 30. They did not even have the courtesy to acknowledge that they have received our letter," he said.

He stressed that an as an independent election observer, Mafrel would be able to monitor and check any abuse of election laws without fear or favour.

"We aim to educate the public on their voting rights, ensure that public funds and machineries are not abused for election campaigns and that the voters are genuine," he added.

Police harassment

In a related issue, Abdul Malek claimed that Mafrel continued to face harassment from the police, which had interrogated him for almost two hours on Saturday.

"This morning I was called again by chief inspector Hesli Mohd Daud for questioning. I was questioned for about an hour. It was about the flyers we distributed to the people here in Pengkalan Pasir," he said.

According to him, the police had declined to reveal who had filed the report against Mafrel.

"They did not want to say who lodged the report or what laws Mafrel, or I, had allegedly breached. I was given the impression that it could be the EC which lodged the report but the police refused to confirm.

"All he (the police officer) said to me was that he was pressured by his superior to collect information on Mafrel and its activities," he said.

Abdul Malek also claimed that the police had attempted to 'harass' Mafrel volunteers on duty.

"I told them to leave the volunteers alone and that I would be willing to cooperate anytime for any information needed by the police. We have nothing to hide. We are here to ensure that the people's rights are preserved that's all," he said.

Mafrel, an independent election watchdog, has previously acted as an unofficial observer in the 2004 general elections.