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KUALA LUMPUR – PKR’s election committee (JPP) has refuted claims by deputy-presidential candidate Rafizi Ramli over the shortcomings of the Adil system currently being used for the party’s ongoing elections.
A statement issued by JPP chairman Dr Zaliha Mustafa empathised with Rafizi’s worries of possible fraud happening during the party’s election, but insisted the Adil system was sufficiently competent and that the entire voting process has gatekeeping measures set in place, as opposed to his claims.
Among the first decisions made by the JPP when preparing for the ongoing elections, she said, was to move away from using QR codes and instead employ indelible ink to mark those who have already voted.
She said this was to avoid the digital codes being duplicated and used to key in multiple votes from one person.
Concerning Rafizi’s claim that one person could register votes for multiple members by merely keying in their identification card numbers, Dr Zaliha denied this, saying only appointed personnel are allowed to key in member’s IC numbers into the Adil system, which is done manually for each voter.
“Once the member verifies that is their correct IC number, then only will the member receive the digital ballot paper which is specific to each member.
“JPP wishes to correct the misconceptions and misunderstandings over the conduct of those overseeing the elections this time around,” she wrote.
She added that access codes for machines operating the Adil voting system are time-sensitive and change periodically.
Dr Zaliha said that in the interest of transparency, invigilators for the voting process are made up of non-party members, non-governmental organisations, academics and those without any vested interests.
She explained that despite party members operating as election centre supervisors, their role is limited to them merely starting up the Adil voting system, while being barred from handling any of the voting devices or being near the voting halls.
Additionally, she said the JPP has the jurisdiction to cancel the results and call for a revote for any branch or party wing if there are issues faced during the voting process.
“If such a need does arise, then the party, the leadership and grassroots must accept any eventuality or decision that will be taken by the JPP, to ensure the betterment and transparency of the 2022 elections,” she wrote.
This, after Rafizi had complained of technical issues faced during the party polls, and how he would be writing to the JPP seeking an immediate resolution to the matter.
Rafizi will be going up against incumbent secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution for the deputy-president role, and to be Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s number-two. – The Vibes, May 16, 2022