Political parties should protest if there are changes in voters list - EC

The Election Commission (EC) wants political parties who know of any transfer of voters in any state to lodge a protest with it as soon as possible.

Its chairman, Datuk Seri Mohd Hashim Abdullah said this was the best solution while registered voters were also encouraged to check the list and lodge their protests.

"The EC abides by the regulations set out for us. If there is dissatisfaction, or other matters pertaining to the voter list, there is time for protest.

"When there are protests, EC officers in the states will look at them. The EC will not reject any protest purely on assumption," he said when commenting on claims made by Kelantan PAS about a large-scale transfer of voters in the state.

Mohd Hashim said this at the announcement of the Pujut State Assembly constituency by-election Friday.

On the statement by former EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman who warned him against allowing the EC to be used by others, Mohd Hashim said: "I have a lot of respect for Abdul Rashid and other former EC staff. I am the continuity of the chairmen before me.

"I respected Rashid as EC chairman and now as a politician," he said, stressing that he and the EC were aware of the commission's duties and responsibilities to the country.

"Personally, I have never been affected because politicians talk from the perspective of politics and when Abdul Rashid was EC chairman, he viewed things from the EC perspective."

-- BERNAMA