DAP leaders to meet members personally to explain need for party re-election

DAP leaders will go down to the ground to explain to members and supporters the rationale behind their decision to hold fresh party elections.

Party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng announced this in a statement today, adding that the tour will begin after the 2008-2011 Central Executive Committee (CEC) meets coming Thursday.

Lim reiterated that the decision to hold new polls to elect the CEC was made so that the Registrar of Societies (RoS) would not have any reason to de-register the party.

"The bitter and painful decision made by party leaders in an emergency meeting of the 2012-2015 CEC on Wednesday night to hold re-elections was solely to prevent RoS from being given another opportunity to abuse their powers by de-registering the party.

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Putrajaya misused three laws in GE13, says Forum Asia

The panelists at the Asian Solidarity and Human Rights forum held in Kuala Lumpur today.





Putrajaya had misused three laws, the Sedition Act 1948, Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 and Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984, during the May 5 general election for selective prosecution and punishment, according to regional human rights group Forum Asia.

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum Asia) said in its preliminary report that the laws were technical and hard to understand for the purpose of prosecution and punishment.

"We raised our concerns against these problematic laws which gives the power to the government to carry out selective prosecution and punishment, towards certain individuals.

"The government's promise to carry out reforms runs contrary to what they are doing," Forum Asia representative Kishali Pinto-Jayawardena told reporters in Kuala Lumpur today.


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PIX GALLERY: Kuala Besut by-election polling day

 Pas candidate, Endot @ Azlan Yusof shaking hands with a voter at Sekolah Kebangsaan Kampung Nangka, Kuala Besut

BN candidate, Tengku Zaihan Che Ku Abdul Rahman (center) pushing a voter on a wheel chair, during his visit at the Sekolah Kebangsaan Kampung Nangka, Kuala Besut.

 The environment of the Kuala Besut by-election at SK Bukit Puteri.

A Pas supporter wearing the Pas flag for the Kuala Besut by-election.

Some of the locals showing their support for Pas candidate.

The locals cast their votes for the Kuala Besut by-election at Sekolah Kebangsaan Kampung Nangka.

Kuala Besut by-election: Polling day

The people of Kuala Besut will decide on Wednesday if the Terengganu state assembly ends up hung or not.

Barisan Nasional candidate Tengku Zaihan Che Ku Rahman, 37, will go up against PAS candidate Azlan Yusof, 48, known fondly as Che Long.

Currently, Barisan has 16 seats in the state assembly to Pakatan Rakyat’s 15 seats. A win for Pas will result in an equal 16 seats for each coalition in the state assembly.

The seat fell vacant following the death of Barisan's Dr A. Rahman Mokhtar who passed away on June 26.

There are 17,683 registered voters in Kuala Besut out of which 1,148 are early voters. Early voting took place on July 20, with a turnout of 79.63%.

The Election Commission estimates a turnout of 75% for Wednesday’s voting even though it is a working day. The results will only be known after 10pm.

In the May 5 general elections, Barisan won with a majority of 2,434 votes.


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PAS: Nearly RM500m, BN’s Kuala Besut run ‘costliest in history’

From BN’s pledges and promises, Dzulkefly said each ballot in Kuala Besut is worth RM27,000. - See more at:

Barisan Nasional (BN) has pledged a total of RM467.12 million in its 12-day campaign for the Kuala Besut by-election, rivals PAS alleged today in what it said is possibly the most ever spent on a by-election.

Today’s estimate by PAS topped the RM330 million that yesterday moved electoral watchdog Bersih to cry foul over the alleged vote-buying for the crucial poll.

“The grand total that we have counted up until this moment reached RM476.19 million. With a total of 17,683 voters, we announce that the value of each ballot for N.01 Kuala Besut reached RM27,000,” PAS’s Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad told reporters here.

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Rafizi takes up Barisan MPs challenge to repeat allegations on indelible ink outside Dewan

Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli has taken up the dare by Barisan Nasional MPs to repeat his allegations outside Parliament against Election Commission (EC) chief Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof and his deputy in deals involving supply of the indelible ink.

"I am making the allegations outside Dewan as advised by Dewan Rakyat Speaker and due to the challenge of Barisan lawmakers," he told reporters at a press conference at Parliament lobby on Thursday.

Earlier, Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia rejected a motion Datuk Reezal Merican (BN-Kepala Batas) to refer Rafizi to the Rights and Privileges Committee under Rule 36(12) over his allegations made on Tuesday despite being denied by Abdul Aziz.

Reezal said that Raifizi failed to correct his allegations made in Dewan with intent and subsequently uploaded on YouTube with 80,000 views.

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Kuala Besut by-election: EC shows voters how to dip finger into indelible ink

The Election Commission on Thursday carried out a demonstration on how voters should dip their index finger into the indelible ink during the Kuala Besut by-election.

The demonstration showed that a voter should dip their left finger into the bottle of indelible ink and use the edge of the bottle to get rid of the excess liquid.

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No more ink deals with supplier, says Shahidan

The company which supplied indelible ink to the Election Commission (EC) for May’s general election will not be contracted to do so any more, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim told Parliament today.

Shahidan said when the company’s name became public knowledge it meant it was no longer viable to deal with the ink supplier.

However, he did not confirm that he was referring to the company that was named by Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli yesterday.

Rafizi had said the ink contract was given to Integrated Challenger Malaysia Sdn Bhd and that it was run by a Mohamed Salleh Mohd Ali. He claimed too that Mohamed Salleh is closely linked with the EC’s top officials and some government leaders.

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EC cleaning up electoral rolls, says it will issue regular reports

Stung by repeated criticisms over tainted electoral rolls, the Election Commission (EC) has formed an internal committee to clean up the voter lists with the first report to be released later this month.

EC deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar (pic) said the committee began work after the May 5 general elections and would ensure the rolls for the next elections would be reliable and free from controversy.

"It is the EC's main priority to review the electoral rolls which has been said to be problematic by certain quarters.

"EC officials from all states are working together to clean up the electoral rolls and the committee will issue a report this month and from time to time," Wan Ahmad told The Malaysian Insider in Kuala Lumpur.

Electoral watchdog Bersih 2.0 and other civil groups have been asking for the rolls to be cleaned up since Election 2008, after allegations surfaced of phantom voters and foreigners in the lists based on identity cards issued by the National Registration Department.

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It’s official, Pakatan goes to court to dismiss all GE13 results

Pakatan Rakyat today went for the jugular – asking the High Court to set aside results of all 222 parliamentary seats in GE13, disband the discredited Election Commission and order fresh polls.

This unprecedented move, probably the first in any Commonwealth country, was made necessary because the indelible ink fiasco caused massive cheating, destroyed the integrity of GE13, and deprived the opposition pact of a legitimate opportunity to form the federal government of Malaysia, said Pakatan Rakyat in a suit which was filed this morning.

It noted that some 30 parliamentary seats were lost by Pakatan Rakyat by fewer than 10 per cent of the votes.

“Therefore even if a small percentage of dishonest voters were able to wrongfully vote more than once because of the deliberate failure of the EC to implement indelible ink, they were sufficient to affect the results in a significant number of seats,” said the opposition in a statement of claim.


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Pakatan Rakyat to sue Election Commission over indelible ink

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) will file a civil suit against the Election Commission (EC) on Monday over the use of indelible ink in Election 2013, Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar said today.

The PKR vice president said EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusuf and deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar have allegedly lied regarding the indelible ink, making contradicting statements regarding its silver nitrate content.

“We have necessary documents and evidence against the EC. You cannot keep changing your statements regarding the silver nitrate from 5 to 7 per cent to only one per cent and later it is akin to food colouring,” she told an electoral forum organised by the Malaysian Bar Council here.

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Ample police manpower for Kuala Besut by-election: IGP

The Inspector-General of Police has assured that ample manpower will be on duty for the Kuala Besut by-election.

Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said he would be visiting Kuala Besut tomorrow to ensure everything was in order.

"But, from what I can see from the papers (police intelligence reports), we are ready," he said.

Speaking to reporters after the passing out parade of the police air wing unit's graduates here today, Khalid urged prospective candidates and political parties to adhere to election rules.

"Campaign with prudence and let us enjoy this by-election," he quipped.

The Election Commission has fixed nomination on July 12, early voting on July 20; and July 24 as polling day for the Kuala Besut by-election

Tengku Zaihan pledges to do his best

The Barisan Nasional candidate for the Kuala Besut by-election Tengku Zaihan Che Ku Abd Rahman, 37, pledged to do his best to fulfill the responsibilities as an assemblyman if he win the seat on July 24.

The former Besut Drainage and Irrigation Department district engineer said he understand that he has been trusted with the huge responsibility of carrying the legacy of the BN leadership in Kuala Besut.

"I will continue the service that BN had provided and follow the development plans of the late Dr A Rahman Mokhtar," he said.

He said the fact that he was born in a fishermen family in Kampung Nail here will give him an advantage in wooing the voters.

"Furthermore, I had worked here as the DID district engineer for five years," he said.


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It’s a dip now for Kuala Besut voters - Indelible Ink Scandal

The Election Commission (EC) is to make sure that the stain of the indelible ink used to mark voters remains longer on the finger of voters in the Kuala Besut state by-election.

It announced today that voters will have to dip their left index finger into the ink instead of having it brushed onto the finger as in the last general election.

EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said in a statement that the indelible ink would be used for advance voting on July 20 and polling on July 24.

Friday is the nomination day for the by-election, which has been necessitated by the death of assemblyman Dr A. Rahman Mokhtar of the BN of lung cancer on June 26.

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GE13: MACC says no proof of vote buying in Penang

The Penang Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC) has recommended to the Attorney-General to close all seven cases of alleged vote buying in the state during the 13th general election, due to a lack of evidence.

Its director Datuk Samarajoo Manikam said details obtained from the witnesses did not show any offence against the MACC Act 2009.

"Therefore, we recommended to the Attorney-General late last month to close all seven cases, and I believe they have accepted our recommendations," he told reporters after a dialogue with heads of department and political parties in a hotel here Tuesday.

He said some of the witnesses could not provide details of who issued the alleged vouchers and how they were being distributed.

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Election officer arms PKR’s Rafizi with another dart for EC

PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli said the call by a senior election officer in Sabah to re-register voters was further proof that the electoral system was flawed.

"I want to hear what the Election Commission chairman and his deputy have to say to this," he said.

Rafizi was commenting on the on-going Royal Commission of Inquiry on illegal immigrants in Sabah where the state's election director Datuk Md Idrus Ismail, when giving evidence, said the 13 million voters nationwide must be registered again as the electoral roll was tainted.

Rafizi, who is also Pandan MP, said this clearly showed that the organisation and execution of the 13th general election was highly questionable.

"There are many questions being raised on the ballot paper, the ballot boxes and the indelible ink.


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Sarawak CM Taib Mahmud will go when he wants to

Taib Mahmud has been chief minister for 32 years

Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, 77, has hinted many times over the past few years that he may be stepping down soon.



But MPs from his Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) believe it may not be anytime in the near future and he will only step down when he decides on his successor.

"He has been indicating he wants to leave. It's a matter of time. He has said he's grooming successors," said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nancy Shukri.

The Batang Sadong MP, however, told The Star Online that Taib could serve for another three years, until the Sarawak state elections were held.


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'Indelible ink to be used during Kuala Besut by-election'

Indelible ink will be used during the Kuala Besut by-election although several weaknesses were identified regarding its usage in the 13th general election, said Election Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof.

He said the use of indelible ink has become part of the country's election regulations and should be continued or else it could nullify an election or make it invalid.

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'Opposition has failed to prove polls allegations'

Parties are welcome to challenge election results in court, Najib tells BBC World

KUALA LUMPUR: THE government has nothing to hide about the process and outcome of the May 5 general election in spite of recent pressure mounted by certain quarters about the matter.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, in an interview with the BBC World on Tuesday, said the government, under the ruling coalition, was open to reviewing the matter as long as it was done according to the country's legal provisions.

"I wish to maintain the election was free, fair and transparent. And up to today, there have been no real reports that they (the opposition) could substantiate (the) allegations.

"We are prepared to (answer questions) but (only) as long as we go through the courts.

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Mameng filed his IC forms in the jungle, Ahmad collected his IC at a coffeeshop

Malaysian identity cards were issued to foreign migrants who worked at a logging camp in Kinabatangan, while some others collected theirs at a coffee shop in Kota Kinabalu, the Royal Commission of Inquiry on illegal immigrants in Sabah heard today.

Mameng Saleng, 63, who was born in Sulawesi, Indonesia, told the five-man RCI panel he had received his identity card while working with a logging company. His supervisor had offered the workers citizenship.

"In 1983, the manager asked me whether I wanted a Malaysian IC and I agreed at once," Mameng told the RCI panel led by former Sabah and Sarawak Chief Judge Tan Sri Steve Shim Lip Kiong.

Mameng, who entered Sabah in 1981, admitted that all the documents related to the identity card were filled at the logging camp, although he still needed to go to the National Registration Department.

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