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More rallies promised if Malaysia ignores demands for electoral reform
ABC Radio Australia - August 19, 2013
Speaking to Radio Australia's Asia Pacific, Ambiga Sreenevasan says the Election Commission must clean up its electoral rolls before proceeding with its delineation of parliamentary and state constituency boundaries.
The states of Sabah and Sarawak will be among those affected by the changes. She says the movement is very worried about the Electoral Commission's plans.
"What the election commission is planning to do, and they are pushing on ahead as I understand it, is to do the re-delineation process based on the electoral role which was used in the May elections.
"That would be wholly unacceptable. It takes time to clean up the rolls, we don't see any moves by the EC to do a sincere job where that is concerned," she said.
Ms Sreenevasan believes reform is needed not just in the states of Sabah and Sarawak. "The evidence is emerging in the inquiry into what's happening in Sabah, but that doesn't mean the rolls are clean anywhere else."
She also says the Royal Commission of inquiry into illegal immigrants in Sabah in the lead up to the general election has revealed tampering with the electoral roll.
It was also alleged illegal migrants were given identity cards, which allowed them to vote – so-called 'phantom voters'. "The concern is knowing this evidence which is coming up, the election commission is still proceeding with the delineation exercise."
A people's tribunal has also been appointed to look into the allegations of fraud during May's election.
The five day hearing will begin on September 18, and Ms Sreenevansan is confident those presiding over it will only be swayed by the evidence before them, and not be biased towards the Opposition Pakatan Rakyat, which is contesting some results in the courts.
"They are completely independent. We have a very eminent group of people who will be sitting, and we hope to have some real results."
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