PKR picks on EC over possible manipulation

KUCHING: PKR has expressed deep regret over the conduct of the state election by the Election Commission as it did not strictly follow the procedures of the election.
"Returning Officers should give representatives of the party copies of Form 14 as clearly stated in Section 12 of the Election Act, but they refused to give our counting agents such copies.

"Their refusal can raise many questions as to the numbers on the papers," said PKR's deputy president Azmin Ali last night. He is also PKR's elections director.

"The paper may be manipulated by any person," he said, expressing his worry that the results could be manipulated, especially if the votes obtained by the candidates were very close.

"It started in Asajaya. At first I thought it was an isolate case, but apparently after 2pm, the instructions were given to all the returning officers not to provide copies of Form 14 to our counting agents.

"We want to know whether the number of voters on Form 14 tally with the number of votes," he said, adding that he tried to contact the Election Commission to seek clarification and a ruling on this, but he failed to get through and get any explanation.

"I hope we can carry out further investigation and get more information, before we make a formal protest," he said.

"The rule of the election is that they must provide the copy of Form 14 to the counting agents, but it was unfortunate that they held back these forms," he said, blaming the EC for not giving them a level playing field.

Baru's main priority
State PKR chief Baru Bian, the newly elected candidate for Ba'Kelalan, who was present at the press conference, described the fight as very tough.

"We were fighting against both the federal and state government machineries and resources and with all the promises of development projects.

"However, we managed to win only three seats that of Ba'Kelalan, Krian and Batu Lintang," he said. PKR contested in 49 seats

He also said that his main concern now at the state assembly would be the NCR issue affecting the natives.
"It is quite obvious that the issue will be land. We have been harping on these native customary rights (NCR) land and land issues owed by the non-natives land.

"We will focus on the land issues, raise them in the assembly and look into the laws.

"These will be our priority," he said.

PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who was also present at the press conference, urged the Barisan Nasional government to fulfill all its development pledges.

"We will list all the projects that have been promised during the election campaign and continue to remind the government. This should also be our duty," she said.