PETALING JAYA: Election watchdog Bersih has decided to withhold recognition of the new government amidst various reports of alleged electoral fraud in the just-concluded 13th general election.
“We have received many reports of electoral fraud in the GE13. Until a fact-finding mission is completed, we are withholding recognition of the new government,” Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga said at a press conference here today.
Ambiga added that a people’s panel for the fact-finding mission will be set up in a week’s time. The panel will consist of election experts.
She also called for the boycott of mainstream media such as the New Straits Times, The Star, Berita Harian and Utusan Malaysia.
“We urge people to boycott them as they have lent their hand to the fraudulence that has been perpetrated on the rakyat.
“We also urge the rakyat to wear black in the next one month in protest of the electoral fraud,” said Ambiga.
EC members must resign
Bersih also repeated its call for all the members of the Election Commission (EC) to resign immediately.
“The EC has failed to ensure a clean, free and fair election process. The entire commission should resign unless they can provide evidence to prove otherwise.
“New commissioners who enjoy public confidence should be appointed to replace them,” stressed Ambiga.
She however expressed hope for the courts and legal system to protect and uphold the rights of the rakyat.
“We call for people who have first-hand information of fraud or other irregularities to come forward to make police reports.
“We also encourage all candidates who have suffered as a result of electoral fraud to file election petitions,” said Ambiga.
Ambiga also queried on why so much money, a reported RM10 million, was spent to buy indelible ink that did not even last.
“Because the indelible ink was easily removed by soap and water, it defeated the purpose of using it in the first place,” she said.
No rally planned
Ambiga also expressed her frustrations with the EC as voters were forced to take matters into their own hands for clean and fair election.
“One of the tragic instances that took place was when the rakyat had to take matters into their own hands.
“They had to take matters into their own hands to ensure that the election is not taken away from them when it should have been the EC’s responsibility,” said Ambiga, citing instances of voters preventing busloads of alleged phantom voters from voting.
“Ultimately, it was up to the rakyat to ensure a clean and fair election.
Ambiga also questioned the delays in the announcement of wins for the opposition seats in the mainstream media.
“When they started announcing the results, they only announced the wins of the ruling government. There were delays in the announcement of wins for the opposition and suddenly there was a freezing of results.
“We were told that recountings took place and instances of electricity at various counting centres suddenly going off. The electricity always goes off at the most ‘opportune’ moments; these instances are definitely not unusual as it has happened before in the previous elections,” Ambiga remarked wrily.
“All these show how the election has been far from clean and fair,” she reiterated.
When asked if a possible rally is due to take place soon, she said that there are no plans as of now as they will need to concentrate on the fact-finding mission first.
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