There were busloads of BN "helpers" who had been recruited by the component BN parties to travel to Lunas to assist in the election process. Since active campaigning on election day is illegal, the question to be answered is what function they were to perform. When asked, some said they were there to have a picnic. Others replied they had come to play soccer. Others stated they had come to cast a vote in the election.

There is then the question whether any of these people were qualified voters, and were indeed entitled to cast their vote. If this is the case, then certainly their right to cast a ballot has been taken from them, and the officers of the BA parties are at fault to stop them. The police, who escorted the buses first to the police station, and then back to the highway to return to their homes, are also to be faulted for their role.

When asked if the passengers were on the electoral rolls, the Election Commission refused to give an answer. This is unusual, in that the duty of the Election Commission is to prepare the rolls accurately before the election and make them public, so that all voters may ascertain if they are properly registered or not.

The question to be answered then, is why did the Election Commission refuse to cooperate to protect the rights of the bus riders? If the bus passengers were properly registered, then the Election Commission should insist that they be allowed to cast their vote in the proper manner. This must be seen as a dereliction of duty on the part of the Election Commission, and the lapse needs to be investigated as to its cause. Certainly there is an injustice when registered voters are turned away at the polling place.

The suggestion is that there is a lack of training in the Election Commission, first in the instructions they are given relative to the information that they should make public prior to the election and during the election day itself. The public confidence in the accuracy of the electoral roles is a serious matter, along with the refusal to verify the names of registered voters who have come to cast a vote.

It is assumed, then, that the passengers on the busses were not registered to vote in Lunas. That is the only rational explanation for the conduct of both the police and the Election Commission. The police would not knowingly participate in turning away registered voters. This is true also of the Election Commission officers, although their refusal to publicly verify that the passengers were not registered to vote in Lunas may have inadvertently aroused suspicion of complicity in a fraudulent procedure.

The issue is confused by the statements of people who have participated in previous elections as BN party members. They state that there is an established practice of bringing in phantom voters by the busload. They say they are familiar with the practice because they themselves have been the perpetrators of this type of electoral fraud. It would be unusual if they came forward publicly with these allegations.

Some members of the BA parties reported that many of their supporters who were longtime registered voters in the Lunas constituency found that their names had been stricken from the rolls without notice to them. When they came to vote they were denied their right to cast a ballot by election officials who were unable to verify their proper registration. This allegation needs to be investigated for its veracity.

Nothing is more important in a democracy than a general confidence among the public that proper and fair electoral procedures are being practiced. While it is to be commended that the Umno Youth feels some responsibility for the confusion, the public confidence must be restored by a full investigation by an independent board, including members of both BA and BN parties. If the Election Commission is found to be at fault, then the root causes must be determined and corrected.

If changes are required in the composition of the electoral commission, then that is the proper procedure to restore public confidence.

It is the Conference of Rulers and the King who are given the responsibility and authority by the Constitution to appoint the members of this commission, who then serve at their pleasure, and it is they who must oversee a satisfactory performance.

If it is required to restore public confidence, the members of the commission must be changed, and new procedures put into place to restore public trust. The Constitution speaks clearly on the matter. Every citizen has the right to cast a vote. This right must be protected. It is the Conference of Rulers who must evaluate the performance of the Election Commission to ensure that fairness is practiced in future elections.

The subject is presently being reviewed by the Human Rights Commission, and it would be appropriate for the King and the Conference of Rulers to participate actively in this review.