Report: Derga voters shifted without their knowledge

Some 200 complaints have reportedly been lodged in Derga, Kedah, over voters who were supposedly had their localities or polling districts changed without their knowledge.

Sinar Harian today quoted the Derga assemblyperson Tan Kok Yew saying that there are even cases where voters claimed to have been duped into giving away their identity cards, and later found their polling station changed.

“There are two cases where there were attempts to deny them the right to vote by changing their polling station without their knowledge.

“Based on preliminary information, we have detected voters who were duped by two individuals who asked for their victims’ identity cards on pretext of giving goods worth RM150 per month.

“The identity card is returned only three days later,” he reportedly told a press conference yesterday.

The report said the Derga community centre had received 200 complaints about voters being shifted without their knowledge.

Tan reportedly said most of the complainants were senior citizens or disabled people, particularly from the Indian community and the Indian Muslims.

One of the complainants, G Venugopal, 74, said he was shocked when he learnt that he was moved from the Derga state constituency to the Bukit Lada state constituency, both of which lie within the Pokok Sena parliamentary constituency.

“I’m curious how did my locality and polling district was moved from Jalan Ambar to Kampung Kolon, which is a Malay village,” he was quoted as saying, adding that he still lives in Jalan Ambar.

Meanwhile, Pokok Sena MP Mahfuz Omar reportedly criticised that moving voters without notice is a burden to voters, particularly for senior citizens.

He urged the Kedah Election Commission director to come forward with an explanation, the Sinar Harian report said.- Mkini