N49 Nangka Voters Denied Rights to Objection

Sarawak Election Nomination Day 2011 Apr 06
N49 Nangka Voters Were Denied Their Rights to Objection

Three SEW (Sibu Election Watchers) volunteers Lau, Ooi and Wong were at the nomination centre of N49 Nangka from about 0940 h to about 1020 h. The nomination centre was at Dewan Kelab Melayu Kg Nyabor (MUC), Jalan Bandong, Sibu. The road in front of the dewan leading to the entrance was cordoned off from both sides.

Nomination period was a mere poor 1 hour from 0900 h – 1000 h. Right at 1000h on the dot, an announcement was heard in the air that nomination period was closed with two nominations received and objection period started for (another mere poor) 1 hour from 1000h – 1100h. At this point in time SEW volunteer Wong walked past the cordon line towards the dewan with the intention to view the nomination papers. He made it to the gate where he was stopped by the police. The photos attached showed him arguing with the police without success. Then Wong was basically escorted from the gate to outside the cordon line again by the police.

 

 

SEW observers then left for Sibu public library where N45 Bukit Assek nomination was held and to their pleasant surprises, everyone was freely allowed to past the line to examine the nomination papers put up on the notice board outside the library entrance. After that they proceeded to Sacred Heart Schools where N48 Pelawan nomination took place. Again they found public had no restrictions to access the nomination papers which were posted at two spots outside the schools. It was real puzzling why voters of N49 Nangka were treated differently. (How does this fit into 1-Malaysia?)

Though at Sacred Heart Schools, some people might want to criticize the heavy police presence that formed a line in front of the schools before the two boards displaying nomination papers, as some members of public might have felt intimidated. But the author, throughout the whole morning and been to three nomination centres, found the police on duty were rather pleasant and friendly, when making eye contacts some would give a smile and most of time they would return a smile or nod.

Final thoughts: it might be more deadly dangerous to deal with MACC (?) now that another person had fallen to death from MACC office again.

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