EC to respond to opposition allegations tomorrow

PETALING JAYA: The Election Commission (EC) will respond tomorrow on Pakatan Harapan’s claims that it had refused to meet the opposition coalition to discuss matters pertaining to voter registration and the electoral roll, among others.

An EC spokesman told the New Straits Times yesterday to wait for a press conference tomorrow.

Yesterday, Pakatan Harapan claimed that EC chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Hashim Abdullah had displayed “unprofessional behaviour” for refusing to meet the political parties.

PKR’s Subang member of parliament R. Sivarasa said political parties, who were “customers” of EC, were still denied a meeting even after several requests.

“In fact, our efforts to contact him in writing were also left unanswered. It is clear that the chairman has displayed unprofessional behaviour in the history of the EC, indirectly lowering EC standards.

“The democratic electoral process in this country does not reflect freedom and justice,” he said at a press conference yesterday.

Present were Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia vice-president Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman, PKR’s Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin, Parti Amanah Negara communications director Khalid Samad and DAP’s Seputeh MP Teresa Kok.

Sivarasa said Rashid, who was former EC chairman, would head a delegation to meet Hashim to discuss several matters, including the lack of transparency in the electoral roll.

“The EC had decided not to provide political parties with the additional voters’ electoral roll. This decision was made without discussing with the political parties and we see this as a clear violation of democratic rights with evil motives,” he said, adding that the EC should not be a “pawn of Barisan Nasional”.

Sim claimed after the 13th General Election, political parties faced restrictions in registering new voters.

“Political parties now, for example, are not allowed to register new voters. Moreover, the voter registration form seems like a rare commodity now.”