EC: Legal action awaits those who buy, sell ballot papers

The Election Commission (EC) will take stern action against any person who is involved in the activity of buying or selling ballot papers, its secretary, Datuk Kamaruddin Mohamed Baria said.

He said the person found guilty of committing such offences would face a maximum jail term of two years, fine up to RM5,000, or both, if convicted under the Election Offences Act 1954.

Kamaruddin said the same stern action would also be taken against the person who puts into any ballot box anything other than the ballot papers which he is authorised by law to put in; and without due authority takes out of the polling station any ballot paper or is found in possession of any ballot paper outside a polling station.

He said the person convicted for the offence shall be incapable of being registered or listed as a voter or of being elected at any election until the expiration of five years from such conviction.

"If at that date he has been elected at any election, his seat shall be vacated from the date of such conviction," he said in a statement here today.

Kamaruddin said the issue about the possibility of ballot papers being put up for sale at a price of between RM500 and RM1,000 each based on the polling area for the May 5 polls was raised by certain quarters and that some even claimed that it had happened before.

He said EC checks on petition cases concerning the 12th general election found that there was no petition submitted by any quarters regarding the issue of buying and selling ballot papers.

Therefore, he said the issue was simply a baseless allegation and the truth could be questioned.