Sg Limau by-election: BN makes phantom voters claim, to file complaint with EC

 

(The Star) – Barisan Nasional will lodge an official complaint with the Election Commission (EC) alleging existence of phantom voters detected during the Sungai Limau by-election.

The party will file the complaint during the two-week objection period of the electoral re-delineation exercise.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim described the “phantom voters” as voters who no longer resided in that area, but had not updated their address in the electoral roll.

“We faced huge problems during the Sungai Limau by-election as we could not detect the voters.

“We will lodge official complaints in all constituencies to ensure that the “phantom voters” do not exist anymore.

“We have highlighted it to the EC but they could not do anything about it as voters did not change their addresses,” he told a press conference at the Parliament lobby on Wednesday.

The review was to have started in March 2011, but the EC decided to postpone it to prepare for the 13th General Election.

The last re-delineation exercise was completed in March 2003.

Shahidan, who is also an Umno supreme council member, said that he would bring the case to the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on electoral reforms to look into the matter.

Asked if the problem was part of the reason Barisan failed to re-capture Sungai Limau, Shahidan said; “we just realised the problem and voters must keep their address updated as it will be unfair for those who are living in the area.”