KUANTAN: The Election Commission (EC) will introduce a ‘finger massage’ procedure in the 14th General Election to prevent fraud during the polls.
EC General Election Academy Registrar, Nik Aminudin Nik Shahar Shah said through the new procedure, clerks working at the polling station would examine voters’ fingers more carefully to ensure they did not wear gloves or had ink stains on them.
“The clerk on duty will wear gloves to check the fingers of the voters before they are allowed to dip their finger in the indelible ink bottle, and this is the measure we have taken as now there are many artificial finger gloves.
“At the same time, it is to further improve procedures in the voting process to prevent any fraud,” he told Bernama when met after a briefing at RTM Auditorium here yesterday.
More than 60 media practitioners from Pahang attended the briefing from 9am to 1pm.
The media were briefed on the electoral system in the country as well as how to obtain media passes and coverage procedures throughout GE14.
The EC General Election Academy also simulated the complete polling and ballot counting to be conducted at
polling centres throughout the country, and touched on issues that may arise during the election.
Nik Aminudin hoped media practitioners would disseminate the information given during the briefing to the public to avoid negative public perception of the EC.
He said Pahang was the fourth state where the EC had given the briefing after Terengganu, Kelantan and Selangor.
“We will continue this programme, and go to the other states based on invitation; provide more information to the public to raise awareness that the electoral procedure conducted by the EC so far has been transparent and impartial,” he said. — Bernama