PAS Youth has urged the Election Commission to move ahead with its proposal to replace the postal voting system with an early voting system.

anti ppsmi english language for math and science ceramah 230209 suhaizan kayat Information chief Suhaizan Kayat (left) said this would reduce the opportunity for manipulation of votes, which has allegedly been rampant.

“The opportunity for vote manipulation in postal votes is very large ... as it was seen in the Sibu by-elections,” he said in a statement today.

“We enthusiastically welcome Abdul Aziz's proposed changes to postal votes by replacing the old system with an early voting system by July 2011.”

In late May, about 10 days after the Sibu by-election, the EC head had said the new system was being studied . This was after complaints about delays in tallying the postal votes for the parliamentary seat.

However, Suhaizan was pessimistic as to whether the change would go through.

He said it is likely that the early voting system - also known as advance voting - will be opposed by the BN, as postal votes have been a ‘fixed deposit’ for the ruling coalition.

He cited examples of past EC decisions that had been retracted due to BN influence.

“In the 2004 general election, the EC issued orders that no voter-assistance booths would be allowed. The opposition complied with the rule, but the BN did not. In the end the EC went with BN’s decision and allowed the booths (to be set up),” he said.

“I am confident that the proposed early voting system will see the same fate as previous EC decisions.”

indelible ink 020607 Suhaizan also referred to the ‘indelible ink’ fiasco in 2008, when the EC reversed its decision to mark the finger of those who had voted, in a move to prevent fraudulent votes.

“The EC spent a lot of the people’s money to buy indelible ink for the use in the general election, but when certain parties with their interests in mind objected, the EC retracted the use of the ink.

“The same year, it ruled that all candidates would have to obtain verification from a commissioner of oaths, but when BN candidates could not get their verification in time, the rule was cancelled.”

Second Bersih rally?

PAS Youth is working towards organising the second rally of the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (Bersih) to demand that the 13th general election is conducted transparently.

“A huge gathering will be held at the national palace after the prime minister dissolves Parliament,” he said without going into details.

During the first Bersih rally in November 2007, Bersih succeeded in attracting over 40,000 people to march to the Istana Negara to submit a memorandum calling for electoral reform.