High voter turnout prevents cheating in elections, says Ambiga

Kamles Kumar Kamles Kumar Updated 8 years ago · Published on 11 Feb 2018 6:15PM · 2 Comments

Former Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan says every vote counts in a flawed system, adding that a high voter turnout can mitigate some irregularities such as phantom voters and flawed electoral rolls. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, February 11, 2018.

A HIGH voter turnout during the general elections will stop electoral fraud, former Bersih 2.0 chairman Ambiga Sreenevasan said today.

Every vote counts as the system is flawed, said the former Bar Council president, responding to calls by certain groups to refrain from voting or to cast protest ballots.

“A huge voter turnout can mitigate some of the irregularities. Cheating can be mitigated by high voter turnout. That is what we are aiming for.

“If we had clean and fair elections, protest votes make sense but if you have a flawed system no one cares if you spoil the votes.

“Wait until elections are clean and fair to choose not to vote,” Ambiga said at a forum organised by Bersih 2.0.

Ambiga said phantom voters from flawed electoral rolls would be used if people did not go out to vote.

“Go and protect your vote. At least to make sure someone does not vote in your name.”

The forum comes as a social media campaign to cast spoiled votes called #UndiRosak has sparked sharp debate and drawn criticism from leaders on both sides of the political divide.

Those behind the campaign are calling on unhappy voters to stay out of the polls or to cast spoilt votes in protest against the poor quality of candidates in the 14th general election.

Ambiga said that those behind Undi Rosak and pro-vote supporters are on the same page, as both disliked the current system.

“We are actually on the same side. We are not on opposing sides. Because you dislike the system, we don’t like the system too.

“We say we must vote to change the system, you say you don’t vote ... It’s just a difference in our approach,” she said.

Another speaker at the forum, Marina Mahathir drew similarities between the impact of UndiRosak and the Brexit referendum in the United Kingdom and the election of Donald Trump as US president.

“What (do) you actually get when you don’t vote? Brexit and Donald trump.

“If that’s what we want, stay home. If you don’t vote at all, things are just going to continue,” she said.

The daughter of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad added that Malaysians will not be cowed into doing noting and should exercise their right to vote.

“It might take a while to get things right. Are we just going to take it lying down?

“We going to go down fighting – all of us, we are not just going to take it lying down,” she said. – February 11, 2018.

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Comments

  • I think we will hear the opposition and those who are pro-opposition to speak against the undi rosak movement precisely because they are aware that the undi rosak movement is likely to effect the opposition negatively more than it will effect the government effectively....

    if ambiga and marina just could bring themselves to speak honestly, and say " i am saying go out and vote becuase i favour the opposition and i am afraid that this undi rosak movement will effect the opposition more negatively than it will the government", maybe the sincerity could have injected some zest into jaded spirits, and motivate me to go and vote the opposition cause ...

    But its that they decided to speak as if they are neutral parties, who neither lean for or against any side, and only speak out of of concern for the general good, that is causing me to feel so demotivated to go and vote for change ....I have seen so many of these of "i am not doing this for my own good, but for the general good" personalities, that i am afraid i have turned into a cynic or a skeptic ....It makes me think that for all their rhetorics, these opposition people are basically like the government people, just in different clothings .... voting for the opposition doesn't feel at all like you are voting for change ....it actually feels pretty much like voting for the same....

    Posted 8 years ago by Nehru Sathiamoorthy · Reply

    • I really do not comprehend what your grouses is about . Ambiga and Marina are just speaking their thoughts on Undi Rosak intentions. Who they support is their prerogatives and do not have to officilly declare who they support. Are you trying to allude them to commit just to satisfy your unsettle idealistic wishes and reaffirm that your undi rosak program have a standing. Extremely childish and lack of maturity in thoughts. This General Election is not a masak masak game play by chidren. Please do not hold highly on the make believe that the programn of Undi Rosak will destroy the hope of opposition for a good win. Your undi rosak may be only a tiny fractions in the total country vote count to make any significance. Many are up in voices against the Undi rosak program is not of the fear in loosing but to admonish the idealistic youth in their simple pedestrian thoughts. I can see that most of the participants are usually youth who has got it easy on the plates, thanks to their parents arduous journey loaded with miseries in providing the very best for their children. UmnoBn is tappng on that silliness of the Undi Rosak youth in their protest which might provides an easy path to continue their regime and upoun the afternath you idealistic protester starts to scream on injustice and freedom being denied with ridiculous taxation , excuse us for the silence as we dearly love for you to understand and relish fully your stupidity in actions. Nothing for me to hold back in being crude but idealistic youth or man are always in dreamland as they have never fight hard for their needs. Need to be traumatised inorder to learn and hopefully pray that the situation is not too serious or late to permit the understanding for all these idealistic youth. . Rubbish attitude !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      Posted 8 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply