Prisoner votes may be used as phantom votes for elections, Anwar lawyer warns
(Malay Mail Online) – There is a “strong possibility” that the votes of prisoners barred from casting their ballots during elections would be used by phantom voters, Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s lawyer Latheefa Koya alleged today ahead of tomorrow’s Permatang Pauh poll.
Latheefa said the names of Malaysians registered as voters cannot be removed from the electoral roll as long as they remain alive.
“There are thousands of people whose names are on the register, who are not dead and in prison and may not be able to exercise their rights.
“And we are afraid their names are being used as phantom votes. So it can be manipulated,” Latheefa, who is also a PKR leader, told reporters here.
“This is why prisoners who have been registered should be able to exercise their rights,” she added.
Latheefa did not provide the exact number of registered voters who are eligible to cast their votes despite their prisoner status.
Citing the Federal Constitution’s Article 119, Anwar filed a lawsuit this morning to seek a declaration that he is qualified as a vote, as well as compensation for the alleged infringement of his constitutional right to vote.
The originating summons filed by Anwar is against the Election Commission (EC), EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof and the government of Malaysia.
On April 27, EC Chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof reportedly said that the currently imprisoned Anwar cannot cast his ballot as he is disqualified under Article 119(3)(a) of the Federal Constitution.
Previously, Surendran said Aziz cannot disregard Anwar’s right to vote as the PKR leader had registered before he was jailed, citing Article 119(3)(a) and 119(4)(b) of the Federal Constitution.
When read together, the two provisions state that a person can be disqualified from voting if he or she is jailed at the time of registration.
The Permatang Pauh seat fell vacant after Anwar was given a five-year jail term for his second sodomy conviction on February 10 and subsequently disqualified as a lawmaker.
PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is also Anwar’s wife, is locked in a four-corner fight for the Permatang Pauh federal seat.
