GE14 | Incumbent MP for Ipoh Barat M Kulasegaran, vying for a fifth term in Parliament, said of his experience of the nomination process at his seat, that it appeared mired in the analogue age, whereas technological innovation is at the digital stage.

The DAP leader said that after submitting his nomination papers at Ipoh City Hall in Jalan Panglima Bukit Gantang last Saturday, candidates had to wait until 15 minutes past noon before the returning officer confirmed who the eligible candidates were for the parliamentary seat of Ipoh Barat, and the constituent state wards of Buntong, Kepayang and Bercham.

The returning officer, after vetting the papers upon the closing time of nominations at 10am, announced 20 minutes later that the papers of the contestants were in order.

“But then it was not until 12.15pm that he confirmed the eligibility of the contestants,” said Kula, who with the rest of the nominees, had to endure sultry conditions within the centre because of a breakdown in the air-conditioning.

Conditions were worse outside the nominations hall where the DAP supporters were allocated an area of assembly that was exposed to the scorching sun.

“Apparently, the EC hasn't heard of the digital age,” quipped Kula who as secretary of the Malaysian chapter of the international NGO, Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA), was invited to observe elections in India.

“As you know, India is a sprawling, chaotic democracy but even they have a nominations process that is held over a 10-day period in which candidates post their papers online and the vetting is done online,” said Kula.

“On nominations day here, when I asked the returning officer why it took until 12.15pm to confirm the candidates' eligibility, he said they had to fax our papers to the EC headquarters for vetting,” said Kula.

He said he was astounded at the reply because “I felt the vetting could have been done digitally rather than through reliance on analogue technology.”

Kula said he counted “something like 25 personnel” at the nominations centre and yet it took nearly two hours to vet and confirm candidates' eligibility.

“The work could have been done with fewer personnel and at a quicker pace, through resort to digital tools,” he said.