Shocking stunt by EC officer

And they say there is no “phantom voters”. EC must explain who voted on her behalf and why she was allowed to “vote again” despite her name being crossed out

By Victor Ma

KOTA KINABALU: A woman was allowed to vote – again – despite her name being crossed out in the electoral rolls used by the polling clerk.

After she raised a ruckus with an official at the Likas Sports Complex polling district, journalist Apple Wong was finally allowed to vote – but the fact remains, someone had earlier voted in her place thing she may not turn up.

Now the Election Commission must answer two questions – how come a “phantom voter” was allowed to vote using Apple’s legitimate right, and why did they allow “someone who had already voted” to cast a vote again.

So much for there being no “phantom voters” as claimed by the EC and other enforcement authorities.

Now Apple, a senior reporter, has had reported on quite a number of alleged irregularities in General Elections, in the past, but never in her wild imagination, thought that one day, she would become the complainant herself.
This is her story as she vented out her frustration in her Facebook:

“On Sunday, upon arriving at the polling centre at the Likas Sports Complex, to cast my vote at 2pm, at Saluran 5, I found out that someone had (used my name and) voted on my behalf.

“This could happen to me, someone had voted for me? I was flabbergasted, but I did not panic.

“Keeping my cool I politely inquired of a male election official on duty whether he was sure about it (that I had already cast my vote).

“The official after checking the voters list, returned and told me that my voting number had been cancelled, indicating that I had voted, thus I won’t get to vote for second time.

“Showing my journalist’s identification – I even showed him both my hands that there were no evidence of any marking (of indelible ink) – and then I raised my voice to ask him again.

“Are you really sure about that. I can prove that I had been covering a few polling centres, from 8am till noon, and even some of the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates can even testify to this.

“He then told me there was nothing he could do.

“When I said I wanted to lodge a complaint, he then called the Election Officer, who too told me the same that their records showed that I had voted earlier. He then told me that I can fill the complaint form.

“But when I was halfway filling the complaint form, the Election Officer suddenly came back and told me to hold on.

“After a brief discussion with two female election officials, the Election Officer then told me that my ballot papers were available still. He admitted that there was a slip-up due to a changing of shift for the election officials.

“This is despite the fact that I saw with my own eyes that my name in the voters list had been cancelled off. The Election Officer assured me that I can now proceed to vote. At last, I cast my vote.

“But I still don’t believe their explanation. I was thinking if I was not a reporter, then perhaps even God cannot save my vote!”

As a retort, she quipped on Facebook: “There’s no need to call me up for an interview, all are welcome to report on this incident based on what i have written here!”

Apple is a senior reporter of Sandakan-based Merdeka Daily, and she works in Kota Kinabalu.