FEB 14 — I was surprised and shocked when I read that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Pakatan Rakyat’s de facto leader, had called for a probe by the Election Commission into the rise in the number of registered voters in Selangor as reported in The Malaysian Insider (13 February 2012).
Citing an increase of voters in the constituencies of Subang, Kota Raja and Puchong, Anwar had also criticised the EC, saying that he had doubted their integrity. This is unfair as the EC have been taking steps to clean up the electoral role by tracking down inactive users and displaying over 42,000 dubious names for the voters to come up and verify themselves, as well as adopting the use of indelible ink.
Anwar’s statement is also presumptuous, as he is already assuming that any rise of voters in Pakatan Rakyat constituencies are to be considered ‘phantom voters’, and are part of an imaginary plot to wrest Selangor away from Pakatan Rakyat.
Upholding democratic process must be main goal
Has Anwar also forgotten the voter registration campaigns, launched by both political parties and non-government organisations across the political divide of which Pakatan was aggressive in getting people who have reached the voting age to register? Thus instead of crying foul, Anwar should be happy that these exercises are yielding results. Therefore, it is hypocritical of Anwar to raise red flags over something which is not yet proven.
What is important now is upholding the process of democracy, where every citizen of Malaysia should be encouraged and be able to play a part in the government’s decision making process through the ballot box. But on the contrary, it appears that Anwar is frightened of the new voters (whom Pakatan urged to register) going to the polls to exercise their democratic right and thus want to send the EC on a wild goose chase to pacify Pakatan’s needless fears and doubts.
Rise in political consciousness
I would like to point out that in today’s modern era of technology, and ever since the 12th General Elections in 2008, there has been an increase of political awareness especially among the youths, and we can see this through their involvement in politics both in and out of the universities. This is especially more so in Selangor, where there is a greater widespread use of the internet, heavily used by opposition parties to garner support.
* YB Wong Koon Mun is Kuala Kubu Baru assemblyman and MCA state liaison committee secretary for Selangor
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.
