EC lobs Zahid hot potato back at cops

(Malay Mail Online) – The Election Commission (EC) told the police today to scrutinise Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s remark on the voting activities of Rela members, despite the latter agency saying it has passed the investigation to the polls regulator.

EC chief Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof (picture) also told electoral watchdog Bersih 2.0, which lodged a police report against the home minister, to be “independent” and not to be “biased”.

“Voting in Malaysia is secret,” Abdul Aziz told a press conference at the media centre for Teluk Intan by-election today.

“To say that he (Zahid) knows Rela people voted for what, no way. That’s impossible,” he added.

Abdul Aziz then said that if Bersih did file the complaint with the police, then it would be for the law enforcement agency to investigate.

Perak police said last Thursday that they have referred Bersih 2.0’s complaint against Zahid, who had claimed to know which Rela members did not vote in Election 2013, to the EC.

The polls watchdog accused the Umno vice-president of violating Section 5 of the Election Offences Act 1954, which governs the secrecy of votes, among others.

In a speech at a Rela function in Kampung Selabak here last Saturday, Zahid claimed to know the identities of members of the paramilitary civilian volunteer force in Teluk Intan who had failed to cast their ballots in last year’s general election.

The Bagan Datoh MP also told Rela members to back Barisan Nasional (BN) in the Teluk Intan by-election.

Zahid later clarified to the press last Sunday that he only knew which Rela members did not turn up on polling day in Election 2013, and not who they voted for.

The home minister said the paramilitary civilian volunteer force has a list of voters registered with the EC, which would enable Rela to know who did not turn up on polling day.

Zahid had also said in the same speech that Rela members would get new uniforms if BN candidate Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong wins the election.

Abdul Aziz said today that government ministries are obliged to provide uniforms to enforcement officers.

“That’s not corruption. That’s not a bribe,” he said.

After his controversial speech, Zahid explained to the media that what he meant was that Rela members in Teluk Intan would merely get new uniforms faster as he had requested special allocations from all BN MPs, and that those in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) constituencies would get theirs at a later stage.

Gerakan president Mah is facing DAP’s Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud in a straight fight for the Teluk Intan federal seat in Perak today.