Thursday, July 11, 2013

Koon Yew Yin on Perak’s Stolen Election: The Second Time Round

Excerpt:

'Close State Election Results Favoured BN

In the recent 2013 elections, history has repeated itself. This time the election appears to have been stolen with more conventional methods. According to the official tally, BN won 31 seats to the PR’s 28 in a closely contested race. But on close analysis of the results, we find that BN won 8 of the state seats (and 2 parliamentary ones) with wafer thin majorities. State seats that BN candidates won with very small margins can be seen from the table below

State Seat         Total Votes Cast    Winning Margin of BN Candidate   BN % of Votes Obtained
Selama                   13,089                      619                                          52.3
Kamunting              22,681                      887                                          51.9
Lubok Merbau         12,469                      53                                            50.2
Manjoi                    42,890                      132                                          50.1
Manong                  14,579                      231                                         50.8
Pasir Panjang           30,247                      304                                         50.1
Rungkup                 12,217                     613                                          52.5
Changkat Jong         23,271                    1,118                                        51.8

Winning by small margins is not unique to BN candidates. A small number of PR candidates also squeaked through by small margins. But the large number of narrow victories by BN candidates – not only in Perak but throughout the country – in our colonial-inspired electoral system of first past the post winner has raised alarm bells among election watchers.'

'PAS: Taking Up the Fight against the State Election Results

It is gratifying to note that PAS has decided to mount a legal challenge to the state election results in at least 6 state constituencies. These cases may take some time to be resolved and the judiciary perceived by many as influenced by BN, may result in PAS ending up on the losing side.
It could also be that PAS may end up with judgements that support its case. This possibility may seem quite remote but given the new found courage and independence of the judiciary, one should not discount that happening. In such a situation, and if new elections are called for (not necessarily in the six disputed seats, three alone would be sufficient) I am confident that the voters in these constituencies - with the eyes of the nation on them - will vote overwhelmingly for the PR and against the BN candidate. A swing of just two seats against the BN will then produce a PR state government. The impact will not just be in Perak. I predict that this will mark the beginning of the end of BN rule in the country.

Fraudulent and unethical election practices

Finally, whichever way the judgements go, it is still important and necessary to educate the public – both Perak and Malaysian - on the way in which the BN has engaged in various fraudulent and unethical election practices to maintain itself in power. At the very least, PAS will have the full support of the 613,490 voters (55% of the total electorate voted for PR state candidates in 2013) who know that the elections were stolen from them and who will want justice to be done.'

More:
http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=126951:perak%E2%80%99s-stolen-election-the-second-time-round&Itemid=2#axzz2Yf4Ew05K



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