The DAP has urged the Election Commission (EC) to be more active in registering new voters, or allow political parties to register voters as it had done before.
Lamenting the EC’s “lazy mindset”, Tanjong parliamentarian Ng Wei Aik hoped the approval can be given to the DAP to register voters in his constituency and in Juru on Aug 30, so as to take advantage of the crowds on the Merdeka holidays.
According to Ng (right), DAP hopes to do conduct the registrations themselves as the EC has thus far taken a somewhat lackadaisical approach to voter registration.
He said that last month the EC claimed they could not conduct the exercise as it was Ramadan.
"When we wrote to them asking them to conduct the exercise in our constituencies in July, the EC sent a letter to say they couldn't do it due to the fasting month," he said.
The EC, however, said it had set up voter registration counters in Komtar's third floor during working days.
But Ng said that the public did not notice that EC officers were conducting the registrations in Komtar, as the booths were not obvious and there was no publicity about the matter.
"We are not trying to ridicule the power of the EC, but they should hire more staff, especially non-Muslims to help out during Ramadan," Ng said.
"It is understandable that the Muslim staff could not conduct the exercise during the month but how about non-Muslim staff?"
‘If you can’t do it, let us’
He said that while the EC did set up registration counters at the third floor of the Komtar building on work days, there was no publicity or signs to inform would-be voters of its presence.
"If they cannot cope, please re-appoint assistant registrars. We are ready to help, even go to church grounds and night markets to do it," Ng said.
"If they can't work, please don't stop others from doing it, we are already tired with their attitude.
"Automatic new voter registration could have saved a lot of time, and EC cannot expect new voters to go to the post office to register themselves during working days," Ng said.
He added that the party will be submitting a memorandum to the EC office in Penang next week to pressure the Commission to re-appoint registrars or allow political parties to help out in this important exercise.
The EC had disallowed political parties from registering voters in the lead up to the 13th general election, after it claimed it had found discrepancies in the forms submitted.
Meanwhile, state DAP Youth secretary Soon Lip Chee said he had received complaints that new voters found difficulties in registering themselves.
Eligible voters also found it difficult to change their addresses, Soon claimed.
Excuses, excuses
He said that he sent the EC a letter at the end of July requesting them to assist in the registration in 10 parliamentary constituencies, from August to September.
But the EC replied on Aug 8 saying that they can only provide assistance in six areas, Soon claimed, and could not do it for the remaining four areas due to time and venue factors.
After reviewing the dates and venue, Soon submitted another letter on Aug 9, adding Bayan Baru to the list.
"The EC replied on Aug 9 saying the proposed voters registration sessions clashed with their own function and asked us to do it in October
"They said we can only do it in the morning and told us to avoid using venues like markets, mosques and worship places.
"For mosques and worship places, I can accept, but why can't we register voters at the market?" he asked, adding that the market is a public space where even campaigns are allowed.
Lamenting the EC’s “lazy mindset”, Tanjong parliamentarian Ng Wei Aik hoped the approval can be given to the DAP to register voters in his constituency and in Juru on Aug 30, so as to take advantage of the crowds on the Merdeka holidays.According to Ng (right), DAP hopes to do conduct the registrations themselves as the EC has thus far taken a somewhat lackadaisical approach to voter registration.
He said that last month the EC claimed they could not conduct the exercise as it was Ramadan.
"When we wrote to them asking them to conduct the exercise in our constituencies in July, the EC sent a letter to say they couldn't do it due to the fasting month," he said.
The EC, however, said it had set up voter registration counters in Komtar's third floor during working days.
But Ng said that the public did not notice that EC officers were conducting the registrations in Komtar, as the booths were not obvious and there was no publicity about the matter.
"We are not trying to ridicule the power of the EC, but they should hire more staff, especially non-Muslims to help out during Ramadan," Ng said.
"It is understandable that the Muslim staff could not conduct the exercise during the month but how about non-Muslim staff?"
‘If you can’t do it, let us’
He said that while the EC did set up registration counters at the third floor of the Komtar building on work days, there was no publicity or signs to inform would-be voters of its presence.
"If they cannot cope, please re-appoint assistant registrars. We are ready to help, even go to church grounds and night markets to do it," Ng said.
"If they can't work, please don't stop others from doing it, we are already tired with their attitude."Automatic new voter registration could have saved a lot of time, and EC cannot expect new voters to go to the post office to register themselves during working days," Ng said.
He added that the party will be submitting a memorandum to the EC office in Penang next week to pressure the Commission to re-appoint registrars or allow political parties to help out in this important exercise.
The EC had disallowed political parties from registering voters in the lead up to the 13th general election, after it claimed it had found discrepancies in the forms submitted.
Meanwhile, state DAP Youth secretary Soon Lip Chee said he had received complaints that new voters found difficulties in registering themselves.
Eligible voters also found it difficult to change their addresses, Soon claimed.
Excuses, excuses
He said that he sent the EC a letter at the end of July requesting them to assist in the registration in 10 parliamentary constituencies, from August to September.
But the EC replied on Aug 8 saying that they can only provide assistance in six areas, Soon claimed, and could not do it for the remaining four areas due to time and venue factors.After reviewing the dates and venue, Soon submitted another letter on Aug 9, adding Bayan Baru to the list.
"The EC replied on Aug 9 saying the proposed voters registration sessions clashed with their own function and asked us to do it in October
"They said we can only do it in the morning and told us to avoid using venues like markets, mosques and worship places.
"For mosques and worship places, I can accept, but why can't we register voters at the market?" he asked, adding that the market is a public space where even campaigns are allowed.
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