EC cancels visit to polling centre due to security factor
PERMATANG PAUH: The Election Commission ( EC) yesterday cancelled several of its visiting programmes to the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by- election polling centres on police advice due to security factor.
Its chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said he and his deputy Datuk Seri Mohd Hashim Abdullah were scheduled to visit four polling centres but due to police advice, he could only visit one polling centre in Seberang Jaya. He was informed that several untoward incidents had taken place such as throwing objects, verbal abuse and threats from supporters of the parties contesting in the by- election.
“The supporters here are more aggressive compared to the Rompin by- election supporters and they were more towards monitoring EC’s movement,” he told reporters after visiting Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tun Hussein Oon here yesterday.
He said the visit by EC officers to polling centres on polling day was a culture being practised to monitor the voting process.
“Our visit is merely to ensure the polling process adheres to the standard operating procedure and to ensure there are no untoward incidents,” he said.
Abdul Aziz said the police had opened seven investigation papers against political parties that had contravened Section 24A of the Election Offences Act 1954.
On claims of phantom voters, Abdul Aziz said EC would conduct investigations if reports were lodged but normally these were not phantom voters but due to errors when registering their residential address. — Bernama