Election Commission admits 40,000 names in electoral roll 'doubtful'

The Election Commission (EC) will be displaying a list of 40,000 names found in the electoral roll but information on them could not be verified, said EC chairman Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof today.

He said the commission would be displaying the names for public viewing on its website to enable the individuals concerned to visit the EC's office to resolve the issue.

"Their status could not be ascertained, in some cases the voter's name in the electoral roll differed with that recorded by the National Registration Department.

"In other cases, we want to ensure whether the voter is still alive or not," he told reporters after opening the 13th general election preparation briefing to returning officers and assistant returning officers at a hotel in Shah Alam today.

Abdul Aziz, however, said the list of 40,000 doubtful names was small and that EC was in the process of improving the electoral roll.

On the briefing today, Abdul Aziz said it was to provide initial information to returning officers and assistant returning officers on their duties and responsibilities during the 13th general election.

He said the first briefing was being held in Selangor but would be extended to other states such as Kelantan, Perak and Penang soon.

Abdul Aziz, however, said the briefing was only to train EC duty officers so that they were in a state of preparedness should the 13th general election be called but it did not mean the general election was very near.

He said the EC needed a staff strength of at least 160,00 people for the 13th general election compared to 150,000 in the last general election.

- Bernama