A youth protest action committee has filed a police report claiming that university and school students were 'disguised' as Umno members to vote in branch meetings leading up to the Tanah Merah division elections in Kelantan.

Belia 4B chairperson Bahari Mohamad Nor lodged the report with the Tanah Merah district police headquarters on Sunday.

When met in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, he said on June 27, about 150 students from University Teknologi Mara (UiTM) and SMK Hamzah 1 in Machang were taken for a briefing session at SMK Dato' Mahmud Paduka Raja 2 in Tanah Merah under the instruction of a politician.

"The Form Six (school) students were told that they would be attending a motivational programme. Both the undergraduates and (school) students were paid between RM20 and RM50 each for 'lending' their ICs and for casting their votes," he said.

He claimed that the UiTM students' presence at the branch meeting was pre-planned as observers for exposure to politics.

"But they also voted once they were at the meeting. The schools students were brought in when not all the undergraduates could attend," he claimed.

Bahari said the two busload of students were sent back to their hostels in 20 rented cars later that night.

According to his police report, a copy of which was made available to malaysiakini , the school students were given the ICs of the undergraduates and were sent to attend the branch meetings held from June 27-29.

The battle in the Tanah Merah Umno division is between incumbent Hashim Safin and Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz, who is Tanah Merah Umno Youth chief and national Youth exco member.

The Tanah Merah division meeting was scheduled for July 20 but it has been postponed indefinitely by the state Umno following a complaint by Hashim on allegations of money politics in the division's election.

Both Hashim and Ikmal, who are vying for the Tanah Umno division chief post, are attending a discplinary committee enquiry at the Umno headquarters today.

Report lodged with Suhakam

Yesterday, Bahari and Pertubuhan Belia Berwawasan chairperson Amran Abdul Rahman filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) and urged it to probe the matter.

Amran alleged that a particular politician had manipulated officials at the school, district and (state) levels into deceiving the students to support and vote him in as the Tanah Merah Umno division chief.

"We want Suhakam to investigate and take appropriate action against all concerned for the bold manipulation of students to achieve political goals," he said.

The youth protest action committee also submitted a report containing evidence found during their own probe to the commission.

Copies of the police report and supporting documents have been submitted to the state education department, top ministry officials and the Umno headquarters.

The Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 prohibits students from political participation or association.

No response

Early this month, Higher Education Minister Dr Shafie Mohd Salleh had promised to probe into the presence of UiTM students at the branch meetings but there has been no response to date.

In a letter, dated July 19, to Education Ministry director-general Abdul Rafie Mahat, Amran named Ishak Ismail, the Kelantan education department human resources management sector head as having masterminded the conspiracy.

"The state education director (Shafii Ismail) has been given all the details of this issue but he appears to be protecting the culprits who hatched the plan," he added, urging immediate action.

"We want the students to be protected but since the real matter was exposed, the school has been threatening to expel the students if they reported the incident," he said in the letter.

Copies of the letter and supporting documents were also sent to Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein who is also Umno Youth Chief and his incoming deputy Khairy Jamaluddin.

Amran and Bahari told malaysiakini yesterday that they exhausted all the proper channels but have yet to see a response.

"I met the state (education) director four times. He acknowledged the matter and assured me that stern warning has been issued to those involved but refused to entertain my request for further action," said Amran.

None of those named in this report could be reached for comment.