Votes will no longer be recounted at tallying centres

KUALA LUMPUR: There will be no more vote recounts at tallying centres in the upcoming general election. Instead recounts will be done at the polling stations.

A recount is allowed by law upon a request from an aggrieved party - usually agents of candidates contesting in an election.

"We are reverting to the old system and have amended the regulation pertaining to this matter," said Election Commission deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar.

He said recount of votes at the polling station would be allowed if the majority votes secured was four per cent or less than the total number of votes cast, excluding rejected and spoilt ballot papers.

Recounting at vote tallying centres was introduced in the 2004 general election after an amendment was made to the Elections (Conduct of Elections) Regulations, 1981 in 2002.
It was thought to be a good idea but consumed a lot of time because all votes cast had to be recounted even if a dispute involved only a single ballot box.

Prior to 2004, vote recounts were conducted at polling stations and was only allowed if the minimum majority vote received was two per cent or less than the number of votes cast.

Wan Ahmad explained that the EC decided to amend the regulation again in 2006 as past experience found the process to be too cumbersome.

"There is a lot of inconvenience to carry out recounting at tallying centres. The process was messy.

"Tension was always high because supporters from parties involved in a contest tend to gather at the tallying centres to witness the process," he said, citing the highly-charged recounting process of the Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency in 2004.

A recount was carried out for Permatang Pauh following a protest by Barisan Nasional's Datuk Pirdaus Ismail after he lost to Parti Keadilan Rakyat president Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

Wan Azizah was eventually declared the winner.

"After our experiences in the 2004 general election and subsequent by-elections, we feel it is better to revert to the old mechanism," Wan Ahmad said.

He also said recounting process would also be faster at the polling stations

The New Straits Times

Sarawak committed to fighting gangsterism

KUCHING: New Sarawak Commissioner of Police acting DCP Mohmad Salleh has pledged to continue the crackdown on gangsterism in the state.

"To me, there should be zero tolerance towards gangsterism. I see it as a serious problem and we will tackle it fully," he told a press conference after officially taking up his post at state police headquarters on Monday.

He pointed out that the anti-gangsterism Ops Cantas Kenyalang, which was launched in the state early this year, was an ongoing operation and police would continue to identify and take action against anyone involved in gangsterism.

He also urged the public to come forward if they had information on gangster-related activities.

"I hope the public will not just talk behind our backs but will come to see us. They can even meet me personally. My number is 019-6000 148," he added.

Earlier Mohmad described his new post as a challenging task as Sarawak has the biggest police contingent with 27 districts statewide.

"I'm confident that with the cooperation and support of the various department heads and OCPDs, we will be able to work together to carry out our duties," he said.

Previously the deputy police chief in Selangor, Mohmad took over as the 18th Sarawak Commissioner of Police from DCP Datuk Talib Jamal, who retired from the force in October.

The Star

Switch In Opening Show At LIMA 2007 Following Mishap

LANGKAWI, Dec 3 (Bernama) -- The airfield seizure simulation planned for the opening tomorrow of the airshow segment of the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (Lima) 2007 exhibition has been called off following the mishap during training yesterday that resulted in three paratroopers killed and 11 injured.

In its place will be an air assault exercise using aircraft, which will be preceded by a free-fall parachute jump by nine commandos of the Royal Malaysia Air Force (RMAF) and not paratroopers of the 10th Para Brigade of the army.

This was disclosed today to reporters by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak after he had visited several of the paratroopers injured in yesterday's mishap, at the Langkawi Hospital here.

He said the 11th hour decision to switch the opening demonstration was made in view of yesterday's accident and due to the unpredictable strong winds that occurred often in the parachuting area at the Langkawi International Airport here.

"They (the commandos) performing the free-fall parachute jump can manoeuvre their parachutes and this will ensure better safety," he said.

During yesterday's training at about 10.30am, several of the 138 paratroopers of the 10th Para Brigade who jumped of their planes were blown off course, some by more than 500 metres, from the targeted area of the airport after they were caught in a gust.

Some of the paratroopers landed outside the perimeter fence of the airport, some got entangled in trees, some had a hard landing on the airport tarmac and some got blown way out to sea, among them the three who were killed.

The dead paratroopers were Ranger Siti Hajar Yakub, 24, Private Nurul Wahida Mohamad Yunus, 20, and Trooper Raimond Duncan, 25.

Twenty-two other paratroopers were ordered not to make the jump once it was learnt that some of those who had jumped earlier had gotten into difficulties.

Najib said that though highly skilled commandos would be engaged in the free-fall parachute jump tomorrow, any sign of unfavourable weather or strong winds could cause the event to be called off as well.

He said that unlike the 10th Para Brigade paratroopers, who would not be allowed to jump when the wind velocity exceeds 10 knots, the commandos could perform a parachute jump safely in winds of up to 25 knots.

This morning, the commandos and the relevant aircraft engaged in a training stint that went without a hitch.

Nevertheless, he said, personnel from the 10th Para Brigade would still be involved in the opening show as they would be aboard the aircraft engaged in the air assault exercise.

Asked on the investigation into yesterday's mishap, Najib said the board of inquiry chaired by Chief of Air Force Gen Tan Sri Azizan Ariffin was set up immediately, and that it had one month to come up with a report.

The members of the board and their number were being worked out with the assistance of the Chief of Army Gen Tan Sri Muhammad Ismail Jamaluddin, he added.

Earlier, Najib, accompanied by his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, and the chiefs of army and air force visited the injured paratroopers at the Langkawi Hospital.

"They said they were able to save themselves as they were able to follow the stipulated procedures.

"If they should fall into the sea, there were certain procedures they had to follow.

"Although they were unable to fulfil all the procedures, they were at least able to execute some of them. This was what saved them," he said.

-- BERNAMA

Scratch-And-Win Contests Banned With Immediate Effect

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 3 (Bernama) -- Scratch-and-win contests, normally used by direct selling companies to deceive consumers into buying their goods, have been banned with immediate effect.

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shafie Apdal, in announcing this today, said the trade gimmick, which has spread to the rural areas, was banned because it was harmful to consumers, many of whom had been deceived into buying sub-standard goods.

Speaking to reporters after attending the ministry's monthly assembly here today, he said a total of 6,903 cases were filed with the Consumer Claims Tribunal in the first 10 months of this year with the highest number -- 1,393 cases -- being related to scratch-and-win contests, followed by 529 cases involving vehicle purchases.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by the ministry today said the licences of 20 direct selling companies were revoked between 2005 and October 2007 for organising such contests.

It said the ministry would form a special task force to eliminate gimmicks such as scratch-and-win contests, get-rich-quick schemes and direct selling by companies intending to make quick profits.

The ministry will also step up consumerism campaigns, it said.

Complaints on unscrupulous trade practices could be forwarded to the ministry through e-aduan.kpdnhep.gov.my, toll free number 1-800-886-800, SMS to 32255 or the ministry's enforcement offices nationwide.

-- BERNAMA