Annuar Musa questions whether EC is in line with the constitution
CAMERON POLLS | Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa has called into question whether the current composition of the Election Commission (EC) is in line with the Federal Constitution.
Since the deputy chairperson and the five other commissioners resigned on Dec 31 last year, there is only the EC chairperson Azhar Harun remaining, he pointed out...
CAMERON POLLS | Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa has called into question whether the current composition of the Election Commission (EC) is in line with the Federal Constitution.
Since the deputy chairperson and the five other commissioners resigned on Dec 31 last year, there is only the EC chairperson Azhar Harun remaining, he pointed out.
“A fundamental question from the legal standpoint is whether the EC exists in line with the law, specifically the Federal Constitution,” Annuar said in a press conference in Tanah Rata today.
Article 114(1) of the constitution states the EC “shall be appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong after consultation with the Conference of Rulers and shall consist of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson and five other members.”
Annuar said he is bringing up this issue now as the EC is expected to issue a writ for the Semenyih state seat today.
The Semenyih state seat was vacated after its incumbent Bakhtiar Mohd Nor passed away on Jan 11 at 4.45am from a heart attack.
Though Annuar questioned whether the EC is in line with the constitution now, he shied away from saying it is illegal, saying it is a matter of interpretation best left to the legal fraternity.
Annuar also brought up concerns about the voting period on polling day itself, alleging that most of the voting districts are expected to close before 5.30pm.
Some will even close as early as 1pm, he claimed, such as Pos Lemoi. Only four out of 29 voting districts will close at 5.30pm, he added.
“(Cameron Highlands) covers a wide area... and some of the villages are very rural.
“It will take time to get the voters out from these isolated villages,” he said.
BN has forwarded these concerns to the EC, he said, but they would not change the timing.
As such, he urged voters to get out to the polling stations early.
