EC warns of viral messages condemning poll workers
PUTRAJAYA, April 25 (Bernama) -- The Election Commission (EC) advises voters not to be influenced and believe in viral messages with erroneous information aimed at confusing and creating negative perceptions towards election workers.
In a statement today, EC chairman Tan Sri Mohd Hashim Abdullah said members of the public were urged to refer directly to the EC for clarification on any uncertain information.
He said the EC considered these messages in the form of text, visuals and videos by certain quarters as irresponsible acts intended to confuse voters and incite prejudice against the EC.
"In this regard, the EC will cooperate with the Royal Malaysia Police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission if it is found that a message is false," he said.
Among the messages that were transmitted on social media included the method of marking ballot papers conducted by institutions which were not related to the EC and a video clip claiming that ballot papers could be taken out of from police stations by polling workers without permission.
Other messages were video clips on foreign national boarding buses claimed be phantom voters, texts relating to ballot papers having black dots, electoral roll review link aimed at stealing personal data, manipulated voting methods and so on that were deemed false and intended to confuse the public.
"For your information, election officers always carry out their duties with professionalism, transparency and fairness witnessed by representatives of candidates nominated by the candidates or contesting political parties during the voting process in polling stations.
"Therefore, voters do not have to worry about manipulation or fraud attempts," he said.
-- BERNAMA
