Election Commission chief Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof has refuted the opposition’s claim that three polling centres in the Tenang state seat were relocated because the opposition won in those areas in the last general election.

He explained that the polling centres were located in the Bekok state constituency, despite belonging to the Tenang state seat.

NONE “These polling centres were located in the Bekok state seat, so we moved them to the Tenang state seat.

“This has nothing to do with whether these areas are PAS majority or Chinese- and Indian- majority,” Abdul Aziz ( right ) told a press conference this morning.

The three polling centres were SK Seri Labis in the Bandar Labis Timur area, SJK(C) Labis for Bandar Labis Tengah area and SJK(T) Labis for the Labis area.

They have been relocated to the Kg Paya Merah multipurpose hall, SMK Kamarul Ariffin and JKKK Labis basketball court, which are all within the Tenang state seat.

Abdul Aziz said the EC made changes to the polling centres all the time and the current move was not related to the Tenang by-election.

“I hope this issue will not be manipulated,” he added.

Wish for ‘tenang’ nomination

On tomorrow’s nomination of candidates, Abdul Aziz hoped it would proceed smoothly and peacefully, noting that the constituency’s name ‘Tenang’ meant ‘peaceful’.

He hoped all political parties would not bring tens of thousands of supporters to the nomination centre.

“If there are too many supporters, they will cause all kinds of problems, including traffic jams. This will bring trouble to the people of Tenang who have always lived in a peaceful environment.”

He warned supporters that the law bans the use of loudhailers and musical instruments during the nomination process.

Abdul Aziz also said he has not received any letter from the Selangor and Malacca legislative speakers on vacancies in the Port Klang and Merlimau state seats.

He hoped the media would be patient for the announcement from the EC.

“Let us not rush, we should respect the family... he is not even buried yet,” he said when asked about the death of Merlimau state assemblyperson Mohd Hidhir Abu Hasan.

Abdul Aziz said he had 10 days to deal with the Merlimau by-election.