Candidate alleges postal vote manipulation

Candidate alleges postal vote manipulation
Tony Thien | Mar 12, 08 6:37pm

A counting agent for the defeated independent candidate for the predominantly-Iban Sri Aman parliamentary constituency has lodged a police report alleging vote manipulation in the polling and counting processes.

Donny Steven Suting, 49, the counting agent, made the report at the Sri Aman police station at 8.30pm on March 8, polling day, after discovering a ballot paper already marked in favour of the Barisan Nasional meant for another parliamentary constituency - Batang Lupar - in one of the ballot boxes containing postal votes meant for the Sri Aman parliamentary constituency.

In his police report, he said a ballot paper bearing serial number 023953 was found in the ballot box meant for Sri Aman. [See ballot paper]

Donny added that he immediately notified the presiding officer Ignatius Ayai and Noel Eddy and Aba Ugi, the counting agents for the BN candidate Masir Kujak.

"I asked the presiding officer to explain how this could happen and I did not get a satisfactory answer," he said, adding that he asked to stop the counting.

Returning officer Bujang Ladi was also notified and he arrived soon after and he too tried to explain but it was not accepted by Donny.

"But later the returning officer went out of the counting centre and told one of our supporters in the presence of our witnesses that the 'election is bocor' meaning irregular or something to that effect," he added.

'Offered RM10 bribe'

The counting centre for Batang Lupar was at a different place - the Dewan Suarah - on the other side of Sri Aman town.

BN's Masir Kujak won in the straight fight with a 4,252-vote majority by polling 9,700 votes against the independent candidate's 5,448 votes.

Meanwhile, the independent candidate Cobbold has consulted his lawyer Dominique Ng, who is the PKR state assemblyperson for Padungan.

Ng told Malaysiakini he will study the matter and see whether there are grounds to file an election petition within 21 days after the publication of the official results.

Election watchdog Mafrel chairperson Malek Hussin told Malaysiakini that he had been contacted by the independent candidate and had received a copy of the police report and his press statement.

He said he would follow up on the matter with the relevant authorities.

Malek also said if there were similar complaints from other constituencies they should also try and seek assistance from Mafrel.

Meanwhile, Philip Ak Tukok, a supporter of the independent candidate for Sri Aman, has also lodged a police report alleging vote buying.

In his report, Philip claimed that he and two others were offered bribes by agents of the BN candidate.

They were offered RM10 each, and this allegedly took place at 8pm on March 7, the eve of polling, at Rumah Kion, Tanjung Bijat, Sri Aman.