EC: Barcode not required on ballot paper

KUALA LUMPUR: A barcode is not required on the ballot paper to replace the existing serial number, said Election Commission (EC) deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar.

He said the secrecy of the vote was guaranteed with the use of the serial number as the ballot paper would only be issued to a voter after his or her identity had been checked.

He clarified that the use of the serial number was to ensure that the total number of ballot papers in a ballot box would be the same as the number detached from the ballot book, which had running serial numbers.

“Using serial numbers is easier because should there be a dispute, we can countercheck with the ballot book,” he said.

He was responding to the proposal by Bukit Panau assemblyman Datuk Abdul Fattah Mahmood on Saturday that the serial number on the ballot paper be abolished.

Wan Ahmad said the serial number method was widely used by many countries as it was a faster and better means of knowing the total number of voter turnout.

He said political parties in malaysia should have trust and confidence in the electoral system as it had been in use since independence.

“Our system has been running smoothly and the EC will also make many improvements, including using indelible ink on the finger in the coming general election,” he said.

Apart from that, he said, the ballot paper was imported and printed by Percetakan Nasional Malaysia Berhad in secrecy.

“Even the colour of the paper is secret until voting day. It is not the same colour for every election,” he said. — Bernama