Singapore, 31 Jan 2018 – Cheating will not occur in Malaysia’s upcoming 14th general election due to the Election Commission’s strict protocols, said Prime Minister Najib Razak.
He said any allegations to the contrary were just attempts by the opposition to cast doubt on the polls results.
“The chances of cheating are non-existent,” Mr Najib told reporters after chairing a United Malays National Organisation (Umno) Supreme Council meeting on Tuesday (Jan 30).
“How can they say the EC is unfair? The system in place is the same one that has been practised from then till today, and in fact, it is better now.”
The chairman of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition responding to reports on a recent meeting between Pakatan Harapan chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad and European Union ambassadors, during which complaints of gerrymandering by the EC were raised.
PH deputy president Mohamad Sabu said the meeting was focused on pressuring Mr Najib’s administration to ensure that GE14 was conducted fairly.
“They (PH) had to complain to foreign powers so that the end result can be questioned. They just want to raise controversy,” said Mr Najib.
“They alleged that our system is unfair, when in fact, this system got Dr Mahathir elected. It is this system that brought us prosperity.”
Fourteen ambassadors and three charges d’affaires of EU countries were present to meet PH representatives, who were led by Dr Mahathir.
The meeting took place at the residence of Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the EU to Malaysia Maria Castillo Fernández last week.
Mr Najib said there was nothing extraordinary about the meeting, but called it “strange”, as the same electoral system had been in place during Dr Mahathir’s 22 years as prime minister.
“Our system is now more transparent that it ever has been. We have polling agents, we have counting agents. We have the indelible ink system,” he said.
“The question is, why, in the 22 years that Dr Mahathir was in power, didn’t they reform the so-called ‘unfair’ electoral system?
“They want to condition the people into thinking that the system is unfair, when in fact, it is the same system that got Dr Mahathir elected. This is the same system that brought stability and prosperity to the country.”
Mr Najib said Umno and BN were “happy” with their performance, “especially in comparison with the opposition, who are in disarray”.
“Their situation does not instil confidence in the people of their ability to guarantee political stability in the country. It’s clear that they are out of their depth when it comes to transforming the country.”
In the 2013 general election, Umno won 88 parliamentary seats out of the 133 won by BN.
GE14 must be held by August, after the automatic dissolution of Parliament on June 24.
According to the latest political analysis by the Financial Times Confidential Research, an independent research service by the Financial Times newspaper, BN is set to win due to three reasons.
Chief among them is the redrawing of electoral boundaries, which is expected to favour the ruling government.
The two other reasons are: Parti Islam Se-Malaysia will split the opposition’s votes, and PH’s weak presence in Sabah and Sarawak, where about a quarter of parliamentary seats are located. THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT.
The Malay Mail
