477% increase in number of RELA members between 2008 to 2010 a dirty trick by the EC and the Home Ministry?

Press statement by Teresa Kok, Selangor State Senior EXCO and Member of Parliament for Seputeh in Kuala Lumpur 4 April 2011

Is the 477% increase in number of RELA members between 2008 to 2010 a dirty trick by the EC and the Home Ministry to give Barisan Nasional an unfair advantage in the general elections?

In his written reply to my Parliament question, the Home Minister Hishamuddin Hussein stated that as of 31 December 2010, there were 2,593,263 registered RELA (Ikatan Relawan Rakyat Malaysia) members throughout the country. Of this number, 19% are located in the state of Selangor.

He further stated that the number of RELA members had increased by a walloping 2 million or 477% from 543,375 in 2008 to 2,593,263 in 2010.

This 2-million increase is most alarming and highly suspicious because it occurs after the 12^th General Elections in 2008, when Pakatan Rakyat won 51% of the popular vote and gave Barisan Nasional the biggest thrashing they’ve ever had. Had a mere 300,000 more voters cast their ballot in favour of Pakatan Rakyat, Barisan Nasional would be the opposition party today.

Thus, it appears that the the sudden increase is the result of political-motivated employment to expand political support for Barisan Nasional in the upcoming general elections.

I urge Home Minister Hishamuddin Hussein to explain why the Home Ministry has increased RELA members by 477% between 2008 and 2010 when Malaysia is not under the threat of war or natural disaster. Hishamuddin must justify the increase in the cost of emolument and personal accident insurance premium that the government now has to bear.

Furthermore, there are rumours that the Elections Commission (EC) may grant RELA members the right to vote as postal voters by amending the Elections Act 1958, Elections (Postal Voting) Regulations 2003. The EC can do this by either amending subsection 3(1)(c) [removing the restriction on "Police Volunteer Reserve Force"] or expanding subsection 3(1)(f) of the Elections (Postal Voting) Registrations to include RELA members. I quote the legal passage as follows:

Persons entitled to vote as postal voters

3. (1) Any person who has registered as a Parliamentary or State elector under the Elections

(Registration of Electors) Regulations 2002, and is -

(a) an absent voter;

(b) a person certified by the Election Commission to be an election officer and liable for duties on polling day;

(c) a member of any police force established by any written law in force in Malaysia, other than a member of the Police Volunteer Reserve Force;

(d) a member of any of the public services who on poling day is employed full-time in a post outside Peninsular Malaysia or Sabah or Sarawak;

(e) a member of the Election Commission appointed under Article 114 of the Federal Constitution; or

(f) a member of any category of persons designated as postal voters by the Election Commission from time to time by notification in the Gazette, shall, on receipt of a postal ballot

I urge the EC to confirm or deny whether the EC will grant RELA members the right to the postal vote to put a stop to this rumour. We have not heard any public response from the EC in this matter so far and it is time the EC made its stand clear.

 Teresa Kok