BERSIH 2.0 urges the Election Commission to withdraw its proposal of proxy voting, warning that all hell may break loose when proxy voting is abused, threatening even the legitimacy of the next government.
BERSIH 2.0 will organise a public forum later this month on absentee voting reform, which is the real solution to help address the issue of absentee voters. The coalition hopes EC Chairperson or his representative will participate as a panelist to respond to the public’s concerns.
BERSIH 2.0 stresses that proxy voting is highly vulnerable for democratizing countries like Malaysia because it may succumb to vote buying or coercion, resulting in disenfranchisement. Bosses may ask employees to sign away their voting rights.
So will superiors their subordinates, husbands their wives (or vice versa) and parents their children. In the most absurd scenario, loan sharks (Ah Longs) may even force every of their debtors to be registered as voters and then sign away their ballots, which can then be traded to political parties.
BERSIH 2.0 warns that, widespread disenfranchisement will erode the legitimacy of the new government – whichever parties are elected – and land the nation into political chaos. There are already enough allegations of bosses controlling employees’ voting in East Malaysia and under the current postal voting system, coerced proxy voting in military barracks and police stations.
BERSIH 2.0 says that the way to help address the issue of absentee voters is to make postal voting available to all and mandatory to none. All voters with reasonable grounds to be away from their constituency on polling day should be allowed to vote by postal ballots, provided they apply in advance, say, three weeks before polling day.
Under the current system, postal voting is imposed on military and police voters, but available as an option to only overseas bureaucrats and students and election officials.
BERSIH 2.0 expresses regret that the EC plans to propose 30 changes to the electoral process to the Cabinet without consulting civil society and political parties. Nothing was raised in BERSIH 2.0’s meeting with the EC last November.
BERSIH also criticizes the EC, whose independence is provided for by the Federal Constitution, for reducing itself to a subordinate body of the Cabinet by seeking the latter’s permission for any changes. It has failed to fulfill its constitutional mandate and, therefore, not gain public confidence.
Issued by
Bersih 2.0 Steering Committee
Contact:
SC members — Wong Chin Huat @ 019 350 2823 or Maria Chin Abdullah @ 013 342 2931
apai
January 17, 2011
It’s the most dangerous proposal coming from the EC. Obviously they plan to used proxy votes to stuff the ballot boxes to the advantage of the BN similar to poster votes from the police and military. We must not be cowed over this move by the EC.
Sulaiman Yusof.
January 17, 2011
UMNO and partners are really getting very very crazy. The move will trigger the rakyat to go for pilihan jalanraya. Extreme cheating and abuse of power will land them just like Sukarno, Suharto and Marcos. Dont ever challenge the patience of the RAKYAT. If in 1946 Malay can be on the road, may be this time not only Malays, other brother races too will join in. Mark my words.
Serious Shepherd
January 17, 2011
Finally someone will vote on behalf of Ispani bin Mohd Rejo, or my late grandpa.
sam
January 17, 2011
Polling stations would close early. Every Kampong or housing estate would have their headman or penghulu vote on their behalf.
Paul Warren
January 17, 2011
Hey, you thinking UMNO not watching Tunisia? Certainly they don’t want that to happen in Malaysia. Thankfully for them they got the bogey man here..They Chinese and the nons wanting to take over if the Malays are not united.
LibangLibu
January 17, 2011
Rosmah will do anything to cling to power.
House Victim
January 18, 2011
To really helps the voting, the EC should allow voting in place of resident or employment instead of in the constitution where they belong, subject to pre-registration, say 3 weeks ahead. All police and military should vote in the public centres.
Bigjoe
January 18, 2011
Well…Here is my problem..
Yes, proxy voting means that voting for most of us will become meaningless and chaos should be eventual.
BUT my problem is that I doubt it would be hell for BN. I don’t think even when the Malaysian vote largely is meaningless, its enough to anger the pathetic average Malaysian voters. It will be hell for a significant group of voters who care and understand but the truth is the pathetic average Malaysian voters even then want someone else to pay the very heavy price of reform for them.
Its sad but the truth is I believe that when hell arrives on our shores, the average Malaysian adult will not face it.
Anonymous
January 19, 2011
This Proxy Voting System is a communist tool based on the communist principle that if you know that you are not going to win the first time cheat.
sampalee
January 19, 2011
All it take is one man heading the EC going mad and the entire nation is held at ransom.This is also a form of terrorism.Instead of going beserk,just take proper action and end the terrorism.
If we have a suicide bomber out to destroy us.should we debate on how devatating will be the effect if the bomb go off or we just neutralise the madman.
All we need is to be vigilant and take them[terrorist] off one by one as they appear.
mauriyaII
January 19, 2011
As if gerrymandering, postal votes and coerced votes through heads of government departments are not enough the EC comes up with a stupid idea just to please the ruling parties. What next EC?
If this Barang Naik (BN) government has its way, soon we would see all heads of the government machinery voting for all the officers in their respective departments. That would surely make Bolehland into world class Bodohland.
The shenanigans of the EC is clear indication that the UMNOputras and their lapdogs would not hesitate to wrestle power away from the rakyat with whatever means are at their disposal.
The UMNOputras must be really desperate. Time to CHANGE this corrupted and arrogant government who are only keen on lining their pockets.
VOTE FOR CHANGE AND BETTER GOVERNANCE.
sampalee
January 21, 2011
It is the mad ego of politicians that is at the bottom of all our problem.Going to the ballot box to have one insane replaced by one mad with greed and aversion and compltely given to delusion like AI and LKS is aptly being said as out of the frying pan into the fire.Is MCLM also blind??
pkr
January 22, 2011
another blatant attempt by EC to tilt the election in favour of UMNO. Like RPK said, EC’s principal role is to ensure UMNO retains power.