KUALA LUMPUR: The opposition which is desperate for support and issues has resorted to blaming the Election Commission (EC) and the police at election rallies.
With six days to go, opposition parties PAS, DAP and PKR began blaming the EC over ballot papers bearing the names of candidates who withdrew from contesting.
EC deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar said the opposition just refused to understand and chose to blame the EC despite several briefings held before the April 20 nomination day.
He said all political parties were briefed on the new process with no objection period and no unopposed win after the nomination period was closed.
Under Rule 9 of the Election Regulations (Conduct of Elections) Regulations 1981 (Amendment) (No.2) 2012, effective April 27, 2012, candidates announced by returning officers could not withdraw from contesting.
“I advise them to focus on the campaign and explain their manifestos to the people. No need to confuse the people and criticise the EC on things that are legally clearly,” said Wan Ahmad.
Political analyst Assoc Prof Datuk Dr Samsul Adabi Mamat said the election process improvements implemented by the EC including dropping the objection period was agreed by all political parties.
“In the early stages, there were no complaints from opposition parties. They have themselves to blame and not the EC as they had asked for the improvements,” the lecturer at the Social Sciences and Humanities Faculty, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) told Bernama.
He said the opposition’s big mistake was not registering the three parties as a valid coalition like Barisan Nasional (BN), thereby avoiding a clash of candidates.
The abolition of withdrawal of nomination was among improvements introduced by the EC as recommended by the Parliamentary Select Committee on the Improvement of the Election Process.
Dr Samsul Adabi said the opposition also tried to create a negative perception of the police for not applying the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 (APA) during the election campaign.
Meanwhile, Inspector-General of Police Secretariat assistant head (public relations) ACP Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said APA 2012 did not apply automatically after nomination day.
He said Section 1 (3) (a) APA 2012 states that APA 2012 is not applicable as an assembly since it is an election campaign under the Election Offences Act 1954.
“It specifically states that all political rallies held openly shall have permits from local district police chiefs. Political parties must not make APA 2012 an issue to arouse public hatred claiming that authorities want to block freedom of speech.”
Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim recently showed his anger at the EC for refusing to cancel ballot papers bearing the names of candidates who withdrew from contesting. — Bernama