Revised electoral rolls still not clean, says PAS

comments     Susan Loone     Published     Updated

PAS has claimed to have detected the names of several hundred dead voters in the revised electoral rolls for the Pendang and Anak Bukit constituencies.

Central committee member Dr Hatta Ramli said the 973 names were mainly found in the list for Pendang.

"The list is contaminated. We have known this for two years and had asked for the names to be removed," he told malaysiakin i in Anak Bukit last night.

"We are going to meet with the Election Commission and the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) to complain about the matter."

Hatta said that the entire EC machinery was "questionable".

"It is not difficult for people to be in possession of the IC (identity cards) of a deceased person and to enter voting centres on polling day," he said.

Although it is difficult to trace such people, he added, the party's polling agents would be vigilant to ensure that phantom voters do not turn up on Thursday.

Tough fight for both camps

The eight-day election campaign, which began on July 10, is in full swing with more ceramah (political talks) lined up by the opposition. Barisan Nasional leaders are planning a meet-the-people-session.

Allegations of dirty tactics by each side are also surfacing, an indication of how badly both PAS and Umno feel the need to win the two seats in the by-elections.

The Pendang parliamentary and Anak Bukit state assembly seats were held by Umno/BN until PAS president Mohd Fadzil Noor wrested them in the 1999 general election. He died on June 23, about two weeks after undergoing heart surgery.

Hatta conceded that this would be a difficult contest for PAS because the Barisan Nasional was utilising the full strength of government machinery, including the media, to paint the party in a bad light.

BA 'not falling apart'

At a ceramah in Anak Bukit last night, Hatta refuted allegations that the opposition front was in disarray.

He said the differences between the ideologies of the three parties in Barisan Alternatif PAS, Keadilan and PRM should not be deemed as any basis for the front "breaking up".

"This unity is very meaningful to those who support the opposition," he said.

Hatta also said PAS appreciated the support shown by Chinese leaders in Keadilan and PRM who have helped in the campaign. This, he added, should dispel rumours that the BA was falling apart.



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