Free & Fair Elections, are they An Elusive Dream?

NOT ONLY THE BALLOT BOXES NEED TO BE TRANSPARENT

The local media reported on 14 February 2008, that Malaysians will go to the polls on March 8.

“The Election Commission announced that nomination day for the 222 parliamentary and 505 state seats would be Feb 24.

A total of 10,922,139 registered voters on the 2007 master electoral roll gazetted on Feb 5 would be eligible to vote. Of this, 221,085 are postal voters.

The Malaysian Election Commission Chairman Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman, had assured Malaysians that the polls would be conducted fairly and there should be no fear of vote-rigging and phantom voters.

Transparent plastic ballot boxes, indelible ink and ballot papers without serial numbers would be used in this election, he added.”

Did you listen to the announcement by the Chairman of the supposedly independent Malaysian Election Commission, he was hesitant, was unsure of what to say; this was obvious there were long periods when he stopped speaking, and one only heard whispering during which he was prompted. What a pathetic Chairman the EC has.

Any man called in off the street could have spoken better, and may have been more believable too.

If you recall, the Malaysian Federal Constitution was recently amended to enable his, (Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman) term of office as the EC Chairman, to be extended.

Going by his past performance, he is not an asset, actually more of a liability, if free and fair elections are the goal.

However, maybe he was indispensable, an ideal compliant stooge, a front man for the BN, so that a lot of whitewashing to cover up any election irregularities could be easily facilitated.

Well it remains to be seen if the election process will be free and fair, but many people have serious doubts it will be

So far there has been widespread distribution of bribes from the BN, in the form of gifts to potential voters and / or their family members, (it is interesting to note that the word ‘gift’ in German means ‘POISON’, that is most apt is it not?)

Flags of political parties are being placed everywhere, especially the UMNO & Barisan National ones are seen strung up and attached to pubic utility poles, road signs and other road furniture. (this is of course illegal), but the UMNO - BN does as it likes, it had more than two thirds majority in the last Parliament, so this, to them, equates to immunity and a carte blanc to defy the law.

Now Malaysia has no Parliament, no Government, no PM, no Ministers, and no appointed ‘Caretaker Government’, so who is in charge?

Why then, do the mainstream media still refer to Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as the Prime Minister, if there is no Parliament he is no longer the PM, is he?

Using the same logic, the former ministers and others who were elected representatives in the previous parliament should not use public funds and facilities to carry out their election campaigns, this the usual modus operandi in Malaysia, and carried under the pretext of some "Official Duties". How can there be Official Duties" to perform, when there is no Government?

“PADE DOH BN!” (ENOUGH IS ENOUGH BN!)

The time for change is now.

After 50 years of empty talk, pseudo-democracy, corrupt legislation, misrepresentation, blatant lies, bribery, corruption and insincerity.

THINK ABOUT IT. At both Federal and State Elections. VOTE WISELY.

NO MORE BN BULLSHIT!

THE BROKEN 2004 ELECTION PROMISES OF THE BN-COALITION POLITICAL PARTIES

This is the title of an excellent post on ‘Malaysians Unplugged’ to read this blog, please click here

Imeqatigiitta!