PKR slammed Prime Minister Najib Razak and the Election Commission for failing to ensure free and fair elections at Sarawak, where a huge groundswell of support has built for Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim and his Pakatan Rakyat coalition in the past week."There are 2 main tactics the BN has deployed today which we noticed at several stations. One is the stationing of an obviously luxury car, a Mercedes or a BMW, just in front of the polling. Only the BN can do it because anyone else will be chased away by police," PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli told Malaysia Chronicle.
"Voters will be invited to go inside the car and have a 'chat' with the man inside. Sometimes, the voters will themselves go near to admire the car and they will get pulled in. Obviously some benefit passes hand a vote is obtained for BN."
Another method that was used very prominently this morning was the stationing of special police officers at the polling centre to intimidate the voters and polls observers. Whenever a voter came along, a BN worker would immediately create a commotion and the cops would rush in, using the incident as an excuse to prevent the Pakatan's polling agent and the independent observers from doing their job.
Of concern was also communications, and speculation is rife that the BN had intentionally destabilized mobile phone networks to prevent the opposition from keeping tabs with each other.
Polling and counting agents in place
Rafizi told Malaysia Chronicle that it was too soon to tell which way the wind was blowing. However, he expressed satisfaction with the progress of the election in so far as the PKR had managed to get all its polling agents and counting agents in place this time.
"No one sold us out this time. Everyone was present and accounted and this is one major task that we had set out to do. The rest is up to the conscience of the voter to fight for the best for himself and his family," said Rafizi.
"What I can tell you now is that we are very optimistic and we will continue to urge Sarawakians, don't relax your guard. The electoral fraud is enormous and the details are only now coming filtering in. By the time the picture is complete, I am sure the whole nation will be shocked."
The PKR leader expects voter turnout to exceed the 63.2 per cent chalked up in 2006. "This is another positive for us," he said.
The Election Commission is also expecting a higher turnout of between 65 and 75 per cent, compared with 63.2 per cent in 2006.
There are 1,749 balloting centres spread across the state. According to the EC, straight fights will take place in 27 constituencies, three-cornered fights in 23 constituencies, 17 (four-cornered), two (five-cornered) while two constituencies will face six-cornered fights.
BN is going for all 71 seats. PKR, torch-bearer for the Pakatan is contesting 49 seats, DAP 15 and PAS 5. Parti Kebangsaan Sarawak (SNAP) is going for 26, Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM) 6, while a total of 41 candidates are contesting as Independents.
- Malaysia Chronicle
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