As the 13th general elections draw near, the will of the people
hangs in the balance as the question of free and fair elections remains
unanswered.
The right to such a process is recognised in all democracies. Three conditions must be fulfilled: an independent audit of the electoral roll, a minimum campaign period of reasonable duration, and allowing international observers at polling stations.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The Najib administration’s action last week in detaining and
deporting Australian senator Nick Xenophon who was in Kuala Lumpur to
meet with me as well as leaders of the ruling party to discuss ways and
means to meet those conditions has rendered the demand for free and fair
elections an exercise in futility.
Severely disadvantaged
Meanwhile, the opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat remains severely disadvantaged in campaigning.
There is no access to the mainstream print and electronic media which, despite being largely funded by tax payers’ money, are used as a propaganda machine in ways not seen since the time of Goebbels: vicious lies are spread about the opposition’s mismanagement of the state governments, characters of key opposition leaders are assassinated and a movie is set to be screened nation-wide calculated undoubtedly to sow hostility and hatred among the indigenous Malay community towards ethnic minorities particularly the Chinese.
So we resort to self-help to travel the land and take the message home directly to the people. But where’s the right to security on our lives and property? Campaign buses and cars get pelted with stones and splashed with paint. Speakers are attacked and some supporters were knifed, violent acts caught on camera.
Electoral fraud on a grand scale
To ensure free and fair elections, there must be protection of the law, but complaints to the police fall on deaf ears.
The right to such a process is recognised in all democracies. Three conditions must be fulfilled: an independent audit of the electoral roll, a minimum campaign period of reasonable duration, and allowing international observers at polling stations.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The Najib administration’s action last week in detaining and
deporting Australian senator Nick Xenophon who was in Kuala Lumpur to
meet with me as well as leaders of the ruling party to discuss ways and
means to meet those conditions has rendered the demand for free and fair
elections an exercise in futility.Severely disadvantaged
Meanwhile, the opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat remains severely disadvantaged in campaigning.
There is no access to the mainstream print and electronic media which, despite being largely funded by tax payers’ money, are used as a propaganda machine in ways not seen since the time of Goebbels: vicious lies are spread about the opposition’s mismanagement of the state governments, characters of key opposition leaders are assassinated and a movie is set to be screened nation-wide calculated undoubtedly to sow hostility and hatred among the indigenous Malay community towards ethnic minorities particularly the Chinese.
So we resort to self-help to travel the land and take the message home directly to the people. But where’s the right to security on our lives and property? Campaign buses and cars get pelted with stones and splashed with paint. Speakers are attacked and some supporters were knifed, violent acts caught on camera.
Electoral fraud on a grand scale
To ensure free and fair elections, there must be protection of the law, but complaints to the police fall on deaf ears.
