By Pauline Wong

The relative calm the day before the polls was shattered after accusations of electoral fraud abound and rowdy scuffles broke out today, here at the Permatang Pauh by-elections.

From the time the polling centres opened at 8am until around noon, fights and rowdy behaviour were reported from many of the 24 centres, as both PKR and Barisan Nasional supporters faced-off directly — separated only by blue-uniformed policemen and Light Strike Force (LSF) units. 

LSF unit at Tanah Liat

A reporter from KL Express injured by stones thrown into the crowd

In Tanah Liat, reports from eyewitnesses claimed stones were thrown into the crowds, and one journalist on the scene was reportedly injured.

In SM Seberang Jaya, some 100 people, believed to be BN supporters, was alleged to have been harassing PKR supporters, and a fistfight almost broke out before police intervened, and in Kubang Semang, the same fracas was reported.

The polls continued on a tense note when 70-year-old Tan Soo Eng discovered that her vote was cast by someone else at the SRJKC Jit Sin A&B polling centre in Bukit Mertajam.

According to Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim, Tan had arrived at the polls centre at 11am and found that someone had already voted with her name and IC number.

“The Election Commission official on duty also wanted to mark her finger with indelible ink but was stopped by our polling agent because Tan has not cast her vote, and it was cast by someone else,” he said in a statement.

Sim added that there were voters registered to addresses in Permatang Pauh, but house owners when met said the voters did not live there.

“We have lodged report with EC and will bring Tan to lodge a police report as well,” he said, adding that numerous reports have been received by his office of names being removed from voter lists or being transferred to other polling stations.

Tan, accompanied by Sim (far right) and lawyer Kebun Bunga ADUN Cheah Kah Peng (second from left) and Dyana Sofya (far left).

Despite the heightened tensions and concerns of electoral integrity, it appears the Election Commission was nonplussed by the allegations.

At a press conference at noon, EC chairman Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof when asked about these allegations said “There are some, but not many.”

He said there are many cases of lost ICs in the country, which he said could be why some people voted using stolen ICs.

Pressed further on the concerns over the integrity of the electoral process, Aziz said that it is “unethical” to vote using someone else’s IC, but said the number of cases is small compared to the total number of voters.

“It cannot be that because of this, the entire result of the election is tak sah (illegitimate),” he added.

He said that the EC had previously mooted the idea to use biometrics to confirm the identities of voters, but the proposal was “shot down by the politicians.”

However, Aziz confirmed the incidences of rowdiness and aggression so far, to the point that he was advised by the police not to visit several polling centres because it was “unsuitable.”

““There were some incidents of chairs being thrown, taunting and threats. It seems the supporters here are very aggressive and emotional compared to Rompin,” he added.

Indeed, it is a predictably aggressive start to what is perhaps the shakiest by-election the PKR has ever faced, in a seat that for all intents and purposes, is its stronghold.

The Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat, with its 70,000-plus voters, was left vacated after PR leader Anwar Ibrahim’s lost his bid for a royal pardon over his sodomy conviction last month.

Anwar had held the seat since 1982, although his wife and PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail contested and won the seat in 1999 after he was jailed for sodomy in 1998. She held the seat until after the 2008 general elections, whereupon she resigned to make way for Anwar to contest and win the seat again.

However, analysts and political pundits are predicting that while Wan Azizah, who will be contesting once again, presumably in her husbands’ stead, will secure a victory, it could be at a reduced majority.

While the support still appears strong for PKR, even some hardcore supporters are lukewarm to the idea of Wan Azizah contesting, questioning her ability to care for her constituents when she is also Kajang ADUN.

The EC expects results to be announced by 9pm, with unofficial results by 7.30pm.

Although voter turnout has been fair at 55% as of 2pm, it still remains to be seen if this will be an easy victory for Wan Azizah.

– The Rocket