Electoral roll accurate with 99.6% match in listed details

Electoral roll accurate with 99.6% match in listed details

 

PETALING JAYA: Survey findings of a national voter registration audit (VRA) shows that the accuracy of the electoral roll was high with a 99.6% match in the details listed in the identification cards and electoral roll of the voters.

The survey was carried out by the National Institute for Democracy and Electoral Integrity (NIEI), Centre for Independent Journalism and Merdeka Centre in December 2011.

The study to assess the accuracy and completeness of the electoral rolls found that from the sample of 2,400 respondents, most details listed in the MyKad were accurately captured in the roll except for a few cases where there were typographical errors and one case where two voters shared the same identification card number.

"It is unknown if there is only one such case or other cases nationwide but it raises an important question on the importance of addressing accuracy in terms of the data, data entry process as well as the possibility of phantom voters and fake identity cards in use," said Merdeka Centre research manager Tan Seng Keat yesterday.

"This could undermine the credibility of the election process in Malaysia especially in view of concerns raised by Justice Mohammad Kamil in the Likas case."

Tan was referring to the findings of an election petition case in Sabah in 2000 where the Election Commission was found, among others, to have failed to conduct an inquiry into the allegation of 4,197 registered voters with questionable identity cards.

Tan said the similar identification number finding, despite being the only case recorded, should be viewed with caution before any presumption of fraud is made.

It should also not be treated as mere data entry error due to the negative perception and lack of public confidence in the Malaysian electoral process, Tan added.

According to Tan, the question of missing voters was another major concern as 6% of the respondents reported that they could not find their names in the latest electoral roll, which could be attributed to the practice of outsourcing the voter registration process to non-accountable agencies.

NIEI advisor K. Shan said that although the problems assessed were minor, they were impactful and "electoral practices cannot be static but must continually evolve and adapt to meet the demands and needs of the day".