The embattled Election Commission (EC) launched a broadside at Pakatan Rakyat, accusing the coalition of using ‘dirty politics’ and making it a scapegoat to gain political support ahead of the next general election.

NONE In the second part of his commentary published in Utusan Malaysia today, EC deputy chairperson Wan Ahmad Wan Omar ( left ) said the opposition realised that the dirty tactic of slandering the EC on unfair elections had brought it victory in the last general election.

“Therefore, the same agenda has to be repeated when facing the coming general election,” he said in the article entitled ‘The group that alleges unfairness actually had won the general election’.

“The EC will again become the target and punching bag of certain quarters to gain the sympathy of the people by using the issue of unfair elections.”

Wan Ahmad said that when “certain parties” joined the first Bersih street rally in October 2007, they had succeeded in fanning the anger of the public, which translated into their great victory in the 12th general election called five months later.

“On July 9, 2011, they played the same strategy again, which was to join the street demonstration using Bersih 2.0 to demand for fair elections, and they managed to get coverage from the international media.”

Wan Ahmad said these political parties had run out of issues to attract the voters, and therefore they resorted to spreading slander and demonising the EC leadership with the purpose of creating hatred against the EC and sympathy for themselves.

“The EC has been made scapegoat to promote their ambitions.”

‘Fair only when they win all the seats?’

Recounting the procedures of elections and stressing that the opposition has been given the freedom to publish lies and slander in their party organs, which are distributed nationwide, Wan Ahmad queried: “What else can they say to show that elections are not free and fair?

“Are they going to assume that the election in this country is free and fair only when they win all the seats?

“Would it be possible for them to win if the elections are not free and fair? Or the voting and counting processes are not done with transparency and integrity?”

NONE Wan Ahmad then lashed out at those elected representatives who joined the July 9 rally, reminding them that they were elected to Parliament and state assemblies because of free and fair election.

“In Malaysia, they were the ones who told the foreign media that the elections in this country are not fair but all of them are from those who had won and enjoyed the life as elected representatives.”

To strengthen his argument, Wan Ahmad said Malaysia allowed political dynasties in which family members could contest and win in elections, and that Kelantan has been ruled by PAS for 22 years.

Political games required the intelligence of politicians and political parties to manipulate issues to create perceptions that could influence the people’s minds, he said, and this country had many such experts.

“They confuse the people by accusing that elections are not fair, not transparent and dirty. They give many excuses when they lose.

“They cannot accept the victory of others. The EC, which conducts the election in a free and fair manner, and had given them victory, has become the target of criticism and slander. Think about it,” he concluded.

In the first part of his commentary published yesterday, Wan Ahmad rebutted complaints about media coverage being lopsided towards the BN during election campaigns, arguing that the opposition could push its campaign through the new media and party organs.