EC’s computing system under scrutiny

Tarani Palani

Electoral watchdogs ask why isn’t the EC’s computing system picking up on simple errors such as birthdates and the first six digits in the MyKad number?

The Election Commission (EC) has always maintained that irregularities in the electoral roll can be explained as it has always rigidly followed its computer system. But now aspersions have been cast on the computing system.

Tindak Malaysia – group involved in voter education and polling agents training – asked why the EC’s computer programme did not pick up basic mismatch of the first six digits in the MyKad number and the voter’s birthday.

“The computer system handling the entries should have picked up such simple errors. If not, the programme should be discarded and the software company supplying it should be sued for negligence, if it can be proven that the programme is at fault,” said Tindak Malaysia founder Wong Piang Yow.

FMT highlighted such a case yesterday where the birthdate of a voter and the first six digits in the MyKad number did not match.

EC deputy chairman Wan Ahmad Wan Omar said that this could be attributed to “human error” as temporary staff working for the EC merely record data based on what was declared by the voter.

Wong however took the EC to task that such an important document such as the electoral roll was not doubled-checked several times to stem out such errors.

“For such an important document as the electoral roll which can determine the outcome of a general election, it is expected that all entries be double-checked and approved by a more senior officer.

“What is the level of data quality control for the electoral roll? If we cannot have confidence in the electoral roll, how can we have confidence in the conduct of elections by the EC,” he said.

The report yesterday stated that there was a change made to the voters’ list within the span of three days.

Voters Mohideen Ahmed and Alinjinin Bin Louis@Hazwan B Abdullah who shared the same MyKad number (600128125531) were registered under the Keningau parliamentary constituency in Sabah.

On March 23, the MyKad number was stated as belonging to Mohideen in the EC website. Three days later, Alinjinin was stated as the voter registered under this MyKad number.

A quick check with the National Registration Department (NRD) revealed that the MyKad number belonged to Alinjinin.

‘So may things are wrong’

Bersih 2.0 steering committee member Maria Chin Abdullah said that the EC was entitled to make such changes.

“It could just be a rectifying exercise after the objection period is over,” she said.

She added that there were numerous errors in the electoral list that even when EC said it was in the midst of making corrections, there were still pending errors

“Thats why we are concerned if they are doing a good job, it seems as though there are doing their jobs really sloppily,” she said.

Asked if the EC should be given credit for the effort taken, Wong of Tindak said that EC had such a low credibility in the eyes of the public that it was difficult for the public to believe the commission.

“Of course they should be given credit. But the public is worried, there is so much more than this which is wrong and has yet to be rectified. The irregularities are so big, that the public doesn’t know who to believe anymore,” he said.