Malaysian watchdogs find mass irregularities in voter lists

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Election watchdogs in Malaysia said Friday they had found irregularities in voter registration lists – including dead people registered to vote and two million names with no addresses – that could skew election results next week in favor of embattled Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Razak will face a tough test in Wednesday’s vote due to a corruption scandal surrounding state fund 1MDB and a challenge from veteran ex-leader Mahathir Mohamad.

About 15 million Malaysians are registered to vote, and analysts have warned the election could be the dirtiest in the country's history as Najib seeks to ensure his Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition extends its six-decade hold on power.

Supporters of former Malaysian prime minister and opposition party Pakatan Harapan's prime ministerial candidate Mahathir Mohamad cheer after he submitted his election nomination for the upcoming 14th general elections in Langkawi, April 28, 2018. /VCG Photo

Yap Swee Seng, executive director of electoral reform group Bersih, said there were 10 major irregularities in voter lists, claiming the flaws reflected the Election Commission's failure to ensure a clean and fair poll.

"This election is going to be fiercely fought and these discrepancies reflect possible fraud which will enable Barisan Nasional to win the election," he told AFP news agency. "We are outraged and angry with the conduct of the EC."

The irregularities, detailed by Bersih and electoral reform group Engage, included about 500,000 cases of excessive numbers of voters being registered at one address, over two million voters without addresses and instances of dead people being listed as new voters.

"A defective electoral roll will bring into question the legitimacy of the whole election," the groups said in a joint statement. "We believe that these preliminary findings are just the tip of the iceberg."

Just one address in the parliamentary constituency of Bagan Dato in northern Perak state, which is held by Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, had 300 registered voters, according to Yap.

Yap said Bersih had written to the EC highlighting the discrepancies and its concerns but had not received a reply.

A construction worker talks on the phone in front of a 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) billboard at the Tun Razak Exchange development in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, February 3, 2016. /VCG Photo

In a blow to the opposition, Malaysia's High Court on Friday also dismissed a suit by Chua Tian Chang, vice president of the People's Justice Party, challenging an Election Commission decision to have him disqualified.

The EC cited a 2,000-ringgit (508 US dollar) fine he received last year for insulting a police officer, arguing that under the constitution, any parliament member given a fine of "no less than 2,000 ringgit" shall lose his seat or be banned from running.

The decision bodes ill for the opposition alliance, which is pinning its hopes on every possible seat to win Wednesday’s election.

Najib is battling allegations that billions of dollars were looted from 1MDB in a campaign of fraud and money-laundering. The leader and 1MDB deny any wrongdoing.

(Top picture: Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak (C) arrives to submit his nomination papers in Pekan, Malaysia, April 28, 2018. /VCG Photo)

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Source(s): AFP ,Xinhua News Agency