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Malaysian election integrity fears mount
Sydney Morning Herald - May 2, 2013
Reports have emerged that security personnel taking part in early voting had easily cleaned off ink applied to a person's finger to show they had already voted.
The ink has been brought in for Malaysia's closest fought election following pressure from clean-poll activists and the opposition.
National news agency Bernama quoted Election Commission official Kamaruddin Mohamad Baria as saying the problem may have been caused because ink bottles were not shaken before use.
But Ambiga Sreenevasan, head of clean-poll organisation Bersih, said the excuse defied logic and was unacceptable. "How is this acceptable when the whole purpose of indelible ink is that it cannot be removed?" she said.
Veteran opposition politician Lim Kit Siang said the "whole integrity of the electoral process has come into question. The Election Commission should immediately address this problem. Otherwise it will be a black mark on the commission and undermine the public confidence in the result," he said.
Election-related violence has been aimed at the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition and opposition parties in the final days of campaigning.
In Penang, men putting up federal flags were beaten and an explosive device was set off at a Barisan rally. Other incidents include petrol bombs thrown at a Barsian office in Kuala Lumpur and the torching of a car at the home of the daughter of an opposition candidate.
Human Rights Watch called on police to fully and impartially investigate the incidents.
"Political leaders should demonstrate their commitment to democratic elections by taking firm action against their members and supporters who are responsible," said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Asia Watch.
Opposition and clean-poll activists claim that as many as 1 million of the 13.5 million names on voter rolls are fraudulent, many of them Filipinos improperly given Malaysian cards that entitle them to vote in the traditionally Christian state of Sabah on Borneo island.
Opposition politicians also claim tens of thousands of non-Malaysian immigrant workers have been recruited to vote for ruling parties. "The Election Commission had a lot of time to clean up the rolls – it never happened," Ms Ambiga said.
Well-planned cyber-attacks have been made on the websites of several Malaysian news services and online newspapers providing coverage of opposition candidates, including Malaysiakini, a popular online website that is often critical of the government.
Malaysiakini also had several of its Twitter accounts hacked. All of the sites were able to return to full operation.
Last month three London-based radio web portals – Radio Free Malaysia, Radio Free Sarawak and Sarawak Report – were brought down in attacks. They have since resumed full operation.
The attacks add to concerns about unfair criticisms of opposition candidates within mainstream newspapers, television and radio owned or controlled by government parties or allies.
The mainstream media outlets have imposed news blackouts on government scandals, including a French investigation into allegations of kickbacks from the sale of two submarines to Malaysia and the death of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu, who worked as a translator on the sale. Two police officers were found guilty of murder but doubts persist over the case.
The media has also provided little or no coverage of claims of massive state government corruption in Sabah and the other Borneo state of Sarawak, both key voting states.
Asia Watch's Mr Robertson said, "ensuring everyone can access information without interference is critical if there is to be a level playing field in Malaysia.
"The government has a duty to investigate and shut down all cyber-attacks, interference with ISPs and hacking so that freedom of expression and the right to receive information is preserved," he said.
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