PKR Julau branch results withheld amid allegations of vote buying

KUCHING: The results of the PKR Julau branch election have yet to be announced after the votes were cast on Saturday, Nov 10.“I don’t know the result. They have not informed me. I also don’t know the exact number of people voting on Saturday. My estimate is around 1,800 people,” incumbent PKR Julau branch chairman, Semana Sawang told The Borneo Post when contacted yesterday.

Semana, who had been the PKR Julau branch chairman since 2010, was challenged by Julau MP Larry Sng in the party election.

Semana said he had no faith in the e-voting system as there was clear evidence the system was abused by a certain group of people.

“Re- election or not, it does not make any difference to me. I don’t trust the e-voting system at all. They were manipulating the tablets from the very word go,” he said.

Semana admitted that he himself had difficulty casting his vote using the e-voting system and wondered how senior citizens who were not familiar with the internet coped.

“I have very few assistants to help me monitor the situation, so whenever the villagers or elderly were having difficulty or did not know how to vote, the JPP staff will do the voting and not the voters themselves,” he said.

Despite his grouses, Semana said he would not lodge anymore complaints or protests against the election because the Sarawak PKR top leadership had been protesting to the highest level to no avail.

“I am just a small fry. People who are much more senior than me have spoken and lodged complaints on the issue but no action was taken. I don’t think they will listen to my voice,” he lamented.

When asked about the evidence submitted to the Malaysia AntiCorruption Commission (MACC) on the alleged vote-buying and bribery, Semana said he has very limited knowledge on what was submitted in the thumb drive.

“I heard it is a video, and that’s all I know. I did not see it myself, but I heard it is a video of people receiving money after they had voted,” he said.

Semana hoped that the MACC will get to the bottom of the case and take action against those involved.

“I was told by my men that the Julau-Entabai road was jammed for nearly two hours after the voting process as people were going to a house along that road to collect money,” he said.

Bomba Marudi personnel pose with teachers and pupils of SK Sungai Bong after conducting checks at the school on Tuesday.

Drivers trapped in a traffic jam at the JalanJulau-Entabai road on Saturday allegedly caused by people parking on both sides of the road to collect a ‘payment’ at one of the houses along the road after voting.