Ex-army man: I was ‘ordered’ to vote BN
A former army clerk reveals how he was instructed by his superiors to tick 900 ballots in favour of the ruling coalition.
(Free Malaysia Today) – An ex-army personnel claimed that he was instructed by his superiors to vote for Barisan Nasional and admitted that postal votes are often subject to abuse.
Nasir Ahmad, a former army clerk at the Sandakan military post in Sabah, made the revelation at a PAS Youth media briefing on electoral fraud here today.
In the 1987 general election, Nasir said he and a colleague were instructed to open a bag and tick some 900 postal ballots according to “my taste”, an implicit reference to BN.
“I took about 400 ballots while my friend Ayub Mat took the rest,” he added.
Nasir’s admission was among the many allegations made in the past by former army personnel who claimed to have followed similar instructions.
PAS and its allies in Pakatan Rakyat had long accused BN and the Election Comission of manipulating postal votes to favour the ruling government. The nation’s security forces are largely seen as reliable vote banks for BN.
The opposition bloc also raised the alarm over the drastic rise in postal voters throughout the country as it prepared to face a pivotal battle in the 13th national polls which was likely to be held early next year.
