PKR: Huge voters scam in Pekan

Malaysiakini

At last, some 200 Burmese migrant families are getting the help they need by being given housing and monthly allowance in Pekan, Pahang.

syed husin aliA timely assistance indeed by the government but PKR deputy-president Syed Husin Ali smells something fishy over the whole deal.

“According to credible sources, hundreds of outside voters from Burma have been brought in through Kedah and have been put on the electoral role for the Pekan parliamentary constituency.

“Those in the know are of the view that this is to guarantee a victory for Umno’s candidate there Najib Abdul Razak,” said Husin in a statement today.

In 1999, Najib won the seat with a slim majority of only 241 seats over his rival candidate from PAS. Five years later, Najib thumped to victory with an incredible majority of 22,922 votes.

According to Husin, the huge difference between 1999 and 2004 was due to the postal votes brought into Pekan for the latter’s general election.

This time, he said, BN is seeking to boost the electoral count for Najib by importing the Burmese as migrant voters and securing this by giving each family several ‘gifts’.

These include free houses in Kampung Cenderawasih, two-acre plots to plant pineapple, and RM300 monthly from the Welfare Department, Husin alleged further.

This village has been established with the help of several departments, including the National Service Department, without the migrants having to do anything themselves.

PAS lodged reports

Their identity cards, he claimed further, contained the code for Kedah but they have been registered to vote in various electoral districts in Pekan.

“PAS has lodged three protests after discerning portion of the electoral roll made public were new names. Several were taken out from the roll after they could not be traced.

“However, many more are believed to remain (on the electoral roll). These people have been brought in to vote on March 8 for we-know-who. It looks like a huge scam is being played out,” said Hussin.

“This special treatment has not been given to Pekan locals themselves. Why have outsiders being given such gifts?” he asked.

This year, Najib is up against PKR’s Khairul Anuar Ahmad Zainudin. Total voters for the seat exceed 58,000, with over 90 percent of whom are Malays. Chinese make up less than three percent while Indians constitute less than one percent of the voters.