DAP wins in Sibu

Election Commission makes official announcement:

DAP – 18,845
BN – 18,447
Ind -232

Majority – 398

MAFREL to observe Sibu by-election despite no accreditation

Published: Thursday May 6, 2010 MYT 3:28:00 PM
Updated: Thursday May 6, 2010 MYT 3:33:38 PM

Mafrel to observe Sibu poll against EC’s wishes

By IZATUN SHARI(Staronline)

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysians for Free and Fair Elections (Mafrel) will go ahead and observe the coming Sibu by-election process despite the Election Commission’s decision to drop it as an independent observer for elections.

BN wins Hulu Selangor

Official results from Election Commission

BN – 24,997
PKR – 23,272
Majority -1,725
Spoilt votes – 731

Syed Ibrahim: MAFREL to finish all reports by Hulu Selangor poll

Kenyataan Akhbar

19 April 2010

MAFREL Terus Berperanan Memantau Pilihan Raya

Pada hari ini, Malaysians for Free and Fair Elections (MAFREL), Badan Pemantau Pilihan Raya Malaysia ingin mengukuhkan komitmennya untuk terus berperanan dalam memantau pilihan raya negara agar menjadi salah satu proses demokrasi yang bebas, adil, telus dan mencerminkan kehendak mandat pilihan rakyat.

Sehubungan itu, MAFREL ingin mengumumkan misi permerhatiannya terhadap Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Parlimen Hulu Selangor yang bermula dengan penamaan calon pada 17 April 2010 dan pengundian pada 25 April 2010. MAFREL seperti biasa akan melaksanakan pemerhatian terhadap beberapa proses pilihan raya iaitu hari penamaan calon, kempen, hari pengundian dan pasca pilihan raya. Tiga orang pemerhati Mafrel telah berada di Kuala Kubu Baru hari Sabtu yang lepas untuk membuat pemerhatian proses penamaan calon.

Seramai lebih daripada 20 orang sukarelawan terlatih akan ditugaskan sepanjang proses pilihan raya tersebut. MAFREL akan memberi tumpuan pemerhatian kepada usaha-usaha memberi atau menawarkan rasuah kepada pengundi-pengundi, penyalahgunaan kemudahan dan jentera kerajaan dan sumber awam serta akan berwaspada di atas kemungkinan berlakunya perbuatan-perbuatan atau tindakan ganas dan merbahaya semasa kempen.

Sibu by-election: May 16th!

Sibu: 16 Mei undi, 8 Mei penamaan calon
Regina Lee
Apr 16, 10
12:07pm
Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya sebentar tadi mengumumkan pilihan raya kecil parlimen Sibu ditetapkan pada Ahad, 16 Mei ini.

Menurut pengerusi SPR, Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof (berbaju Melayu jingga), penamaan calon pula ditetapkan pada Sabtu, 8 Mei.

Beliau membuat pengumuman itu selepas mengadakan mesyuarat hampir tiga jam di pejabat SPR di Shah Alam.

Say it: it is ILLEGAL vote buying by both sides!

When the media report about vote buying they use euphemisms such as `goodies’, `santa claus’, `money politics’ (which compare with more respectable `democratic politics’, `development politics’ etc),  used to `charm’ voters (not to `buy’ voters?). But stop this non-sense: all these material inducement are forbidden under the Election Offenses Act 1954! They are punishable by over RM1000.00 fines, 1 year jail terms, 5-year bar from running for legislative offices, and many other humiliation. So don’t try to hide this CRIME just because the big and mighty are doing it. It is a crime worst than stealing bread from a shop. It is stealing millions from the people’s pocket to run your own election campaign. It makes the average neighborhood thief shy because they are not ambitious enough! So where are the law enforcers?

Ong BK

DO compromised as RO-did it start from Hulu Selangor?

The BN parties have been (ab)using the District Officer(DO) office for their partisan campaigning for many elections -but now they know/wake up to how a compromised DO/RO (Returning Officer) can compromise their chances to victory. So shall we expect `statesmen’ from both side to agree to do away with appointing DO as RO, starting from Hulu Selangor? Otherwise UMNO’s objection to appointing DO as RO would sound hollow as though it is only not OK if it affects their chances to victory. Otherwise it is OK. What a self serving argument! In other Commonwealth countries which practice similar system as Malaysia eg Bangladesh, DOs have been shun as RO in view of their close association with the ruling parties of the day. They appoint judicial officers as RO-a better bet -though also not bias-prove. What we need is a better culture of non-partisanship in the society ie a strengthened civil society where non-partisanship is strictly observed to avoid conflict of interests among various interested social political actors. Without this then we will continue to have the various referees acting to serve their bosses/appointers.

So: is it a deal to appoint judicial members as ROs instead of DOs?

Ong BK

Abuse of govt machineries for campaign catch royal and public attention!

The Hulu Selangor by-election is shaping up to be interesting in that : for 1st time the abuse of government machinery(personnel, vehicles, buildings etc) provoked a royal rebuke! Sultan of Selangor has asked the civil servants to be `professional’ in discharging their duties and not engage in party campaigns. This may be a rebuke to the 2 sides -one abuse federal ministries to campaign, while the other abuse state government machinery. This come right after the Selangor CM Khalid Ibrahim claim that his party is merely following the precedence set by the former BN state government-in clear contrast to his party national election director Fuziah Salleh’s statement earlier that the party will refrain from abusing govt machinery for campaign purpose. She won a commmendation from this web site(see earlier post). Can this become a campaign issue? She declined to comment when issue of Selangor state govt moving the state govt to Hulu Selangor District office surface.

What it takes to make HS by-election a productive competition on policies?

The challenge is on: how to make the Hulu Selangor by-election a productive competition for good policies-as suggested in an article below? Unfortunately what we heard are ways to overtly or covertly abuse government machinery to win votes-and the parties are not letting this illegal and repugnant practice go. So what can voters and civil society do to push the election culture to one where policies competitions will become the main way to win elections? Suggestions: rebuke the negative campaigning eg boycot all government functions during elections. Take leave to avoid even government mandated functions eg teachers gathering(BN) or city council staff briefing (PR). More pro-actively: ask the parties to answer policies questions which the chosen MP will vote in Parliament eg what is your stand on ISA? Would you declare your assets after nomination? Would you support local government elections? etc etc. if the candidate run away from these questions then don’t vote for him/her. Simple: have fun! Voters are the boss before polling-enjoy it!

Ong BK

Mafrel admit failure to submit all 9 by-election reports!

Mafrel has admitted its failure to submit the reports for all 9 by-elections, according to the president Syed Ibrahim. Previous reports that it has submitted reports of the triple by-elections-which was carried in some media, including this blog, apparently is wrong. We apologise for any inconveniences. We understand that reports for 6 by-elections had already been submitted to the Mafrel HQ-but for unknown reasons the reports were not submitted to the EC/SPR, despite assurances to the Northern Region that the reports should have been submitted months ago. Unfinished reports are: Kuala Terengganu, Permatang Pasir and Bagan Pinang. Mafrel’s HQ management committee is meeting tonite-not last night as reported earlier. More reports should be forthcoming. Mafrel HQ has started a new blog since last month here.

Ong BK