PAKATAN Harapan deputy president Lim Guan Eng has called on the Election Commission to conduct the 14th general election independently and fairly.

The DAP secretary-general, who will defend his Bagan parliamentary and Air Putih state seats in Penang, said the EC has failed in carrying out its responsibility.

“We have seen the EC being neither independent nor fair so far. We oppose this failure to properly conduct the election. It is making a mockery of the electoral process.

“The EC cannot take any action that is biased against the opposition. So far, it appears that only those from the opposition are punished.

“We cannot allow for double standards. We want a clean election,” he said this afternoon, after nominations closed.

PH has always been critical of the EC. It has accused the agency of being biased in its re-delineation exercise, giving an advantage to the ruling Barisan Nasional government.

The EC has denied the allegations.

During the nomination process earlier today, a handful of PH candidates nationwide, including PKR vice-president Tian Chua, were disqualified.

Tian Chua was barred from contesting over a RM2,000 fine, although a similar fine in 2010 did not disqualify him from the 2013 polls.

Penang PH’s candidate for the BN-held Penaga state seat in Kepala Batas, Yaakob Osman, who is from Bersatu, was also disqualified after the EC declared him to be bankrupt.

He has denied this, saying he checked his status yesterday, and it showed that he was in the clear.

Although the DAP-led Penang is seen as a safe state for PH, most of its parliamentary and state seats are seeing multi-cornered fights, involving PAS and various smaller parties.

“(Having multiple candidates) is part of democracy. Nomination day is a day when we celebrate the right of the people to choose the leaders they want,” said caretaker chief minister Lim.

“We welcome everyone to participate in the election, but the EC must conduct it independently and fairly.”

He will face three challengers – from BN, Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM), and Malaysian United Party – in Bagan, where he seeks to win a third term.

In Air Putih, he will go up against candidates from BN, PRM and PCM. – April 28, 2018.