[UPDATED] Kedah cops receive three voter identity theft reports

ALOR STAR – Police have confirmed receiving three identity theft reports where voters claimed that their names and identity cards were used by others in the Kedah state elections. 

Kedah police chief Datuk Fisol Salleh said police received two reports from the Kulim district and one from the Kuala Muda district. 

“In the first case, a woman came to vote at a school in Kulim but the Election Commission (EC) official told her that she had been marked as having voted. 

“The second case, also in Kulim, involved a male voter while the third in Kuala Muda involved another woman for the identity theft issue,” he told a press conference at the Kedah police contingent headquarters here today. 

He said police have opened investigation papers under Section 7 of the Election Offences Act 1954. 

Meanwhile, Fisol said police discovered a viral video on social media about an incident at a polling station in Pendang where a woman expressed dissatisfaction with an EC officer’s purported failure to adequately assist her disabled husband during the voting process. 

“However, so far, the police have not received any report about the incident, neither from the woman nor from the EC official,” he said. 

Commenting on another viral video showing a fleet of buses allegedly transporting “phantom voters” in the Kuala Muda district, Fisol said the allegation was not true at all as the 34 buses were chartered by the police to ferry its personnel to ensure state elections run smoothly. 

Fisol also advised the public, especially political party supporters in Kedah, against having supporter convoys from this afternoon until tonight to avoid traffic congestion. 

“I would like to advise supporters to conduct convoy activities like yesterday. If you want to celebrate your party’s victory, do not cause inconvenience, and disturb law and order,” he said.

Meanwhile, in Kuala Lumpur, police received two reports of identity theft from voters in Sg Buloh, Selangor today.

Sg Buloh police chief Shafa’aton Abu Bakar said the reports were lodged by two voters who were unable to cast their votes at SMK Subang Bestari and SK Bandar Baru Sg Buloh as the EC officials told them that had been marked as having voted. 

He said the reports were lodged at 1.12pm and 3.59pm by a 53-year-old female teacher and a 44-year-old housewife, respectively. 

“We have opened two investigation papers regarding this matter and the case is being investigated under Section 7 of the Election Offences Act 1954,” he said in a statement. 

In Kuala Terengganu, state police chief Datuk Mazli Mazlan said five reports were received on identity cards of voters being used by others to cast their ballots. 

Mazli said three reports were received in Kuala Terengganu and one each in Marang and Setiu. 

“Police will initiate investigations under Section 7 of the Election Offences 1954,” he said when contacted by Bernama.  

Mazli also said that the Kuala Terengganu by-election ran smoothly today. 

He said police teams were ready to escort the ballot boxes to the vote tallying centres. – Bernama, August 12, 2023