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KOTA KINABALU – Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) is calling for a review of automatic voter registration unless the state’s electoral roll has been clear of those holding fake identification cards following the decades-old Project IC.
The party’s deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Yee Moh Chai said the Election Commission (EC) should brief all Sabah lawmakers on the safeguards and filters used to ensure that only genuine Sabahans are registered as voters.
“PBS has made numerous requests for meetings with the EC pertaining to the implementation of the automatic voter registration to seek clarification and assurance.
“Sadly, until today our requests have not been entertained,” he said in a statement today.
He said while PBS supports including 18-year-olds as voters, voter registration should not be made automatic, particularly in Sabah.
He added that the EC should prove that the Sabah electoral roll is clean and free from dubious voters, as well as inform the public on the safeguards against fake MyKad-holders becoming voters via automatic registration.
Dr Yee then defended party president Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili for reiterating that Project IC benefitted a certain Barisan Nasional (BN) component party.
He added that the BN leaders who were quick to attack Ongkili may have something to hide, akin to the Malay proverb “siapa makan cili, dia terasa pedas” (whoever is upset over an issue is probably the cause of it).
The automatic voter registration was largely supported by lawmakers on both sides, civil society groups and election watchdogs. – The Vibes, July 9, 2022