Unusual voter increase in KK

Sabah DAP is "quite sure that someone is making
special arrangements" to increase voter
numbers to ensure a BN win.

KOTA KINABALU: MP Hiew King Cheu is crying foul over the huge increase in the number of voters in the Api-Api state constituency which comes under the Kota Kinabalu parliamentary constituency.

He said he was shocked to see this in the newly released electoral roll where it showed that the number of voters had increased by 4,369 voters between 2011 and 2012.

The polling centres with big voters increase are Kg Air, Jalan Perpaduan, Jalan Masjid Lama, Taman Elok, Jalan Muhibah and Jalan Bandaran. The number of postal votes have also increased from 332 to 844 in the constituency.

“The total voter increment since the first quarter of 2011 to fourth quarter 2012 for Api-Api state constituency is 10,746 to 15,115 which is an increase of 40%.

“This is totally unacceptable and we really don’t understand how this can happen. From the increase in the voters, it is quite sure that there is definitely someone making a special arrangement to move to increase the voters to ensure a win. May be SPR (Election Commission) can tell us,” he said.

A check revealed that many of the new voters do not live or stay in the Api-Api constituency and the sudden shift by those living in the outskirts of the state capital such as Telipok, Inanam, Sepanggar to Api-Api area over the last year is abnormal.

“There must be something not right. There are some 4,369 new voters. That means 4,369 people had moved in to stay in Api Api,” Hiew said.

There have also been accusation by opposition party members that Barisan Nasional component, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) operatives, had induced many to change their voting constituency to Api Api which could be done by changing their home address to Api Api area.

The Election Commission says that it is illegal to do so.

Hiew said DAP will submit its analysis of the electoral roll to the EC and file an objection by identifying all those in the electoral roll who do not live in the consituency.

He also hoped the new voters who had moved to Api Api would testify whether their change of address had been arranged by any political party.

“The EC should reject or throw the names out if they care to run through the names. This may affect the election result and we hope EC can do the screening if they want to conduct a fair and straight election in Malaysia,” Hiew said.

Hiew added that the increase of voters in the other polling centres was “normal and nothing unexceptional.”