EC refuses to delete 42,000 dubious names

PENAMPANG, May 1, 2012: More than 40,000 names in the electoral rolls were found to be phantom but the Election Commission (EC) refused to remove it, said Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Deputy President Datuk Eric Majimbun.

Eric who is also Sepanggar Member of Parliament said those names were not listed in the record of the National Registration Department (NRD).

"The NRD had confirmed that some 42,000 names does not exist but the EC said they could not delete it giving many excuses," he told a gathering at Kampung Koidupan, nere here.

Also present among others were SAPP President Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee, SAPP Advisor Datuk Mohd Noor Mansur who is also a former Sabah Finance Minister, SAPP Information cum Kepayan Central Liaison Committee (CLC) Chong Pit Fah, SAPP Supreme Council Members Peter Marajin and Stephen Gaimin.

On another development, Eric said the present Barisan Nasional (BN) Government is actually being ruled by UMNO while other component parties were lower than sidekicks.
He said the most visible one was the development funds for every Parliament seat, which is controlled by UMNO divisional chief.

"Although I am Sepanggar Member of Parliament and within it there are two State Assembly representatives, in which Inanam being represented by PBS and Karambunai by UMNO who happened to be a State Assistant Minister but it is the UMNO Sepanggar Chief who controlled the development funds," he said.

He said the most glaring one which the people of Sabah does not aware of is the appointment of Chief Minister and the selection of BN candidates for any election.

Eric added that the present Sabah Chief Minister was picked up by top Kuala Lumpur UMNO leader because the prerogrative to select Sabah UMNO Liaison Chief lies in the hand of UMNO President.

He said that also goes to every BN candidates who would be issued with a letter signed by UMNO President.

Meanwhile, Mohd Noor said BN component parties from Semenanjung are grabbing seats in Sabah leaving State based parties in the cold.

Citing example, he said MCA had took Kepayan State seat with MCA Sabah Liaison Chief Datuk Edward Khoo, an outsider, as the Assemblyman.

He said it is time for Kepayan folks in which Kampung Koidupan fall into the area to vote local man in the coming 13th general election.

Mohd Noor said local man knows better than outsider like Khoo who is hailing from Sandakan the needs of Kepayan people.