2008-08-31

Were 900+ Voters Deleted and Replaced in Permatang Pauh?

The numbers are about right - 951 voters were deleted from Permatang Pauh and replaced by another 961 since the 12th GE. But the reasons were technical and not too sinister. Still, the whole confusing affair highlights the needs for SPR transparency and voter registration reform.

Background: PKR has complained that about 900 voters were "missing." SPR is indignant.

PKR complained that (http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/88268):

"The names of 900 voters are missing from the electoral roll for the Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency. The names were in the last electoral role and the voters were eligible to cast their ballots in the 12th general election."

SPR's reply (http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/88553):

"Explaining on the 868 names which went ‘missing' in the ‘updated' roll, Kamaruzaman [of SPR] clarified today that there were only 158 names which were removed in the latest roll.

The reasons why these names were removed among others include ‘wrong' voters registration, deaths, those who aged above 100 and deemed fit by the EC to remove their names from the roll on the presumption that they have passed away."

More: "SPR Can't Explain 949 Missing Voter Names," Chinese language article by MerdekaReview.com. (Machine translation. Please note that machine translation provides only a "gist" translation; the result will contain funny translation mistakes.)

Our investigation did find that 951 voters were "deleted" after the 12 GE in Permatang Pauh, while another 961 voters were "added" to the by-election roll dated 2008 Jul.

But we also found that these changes were due to three not-too-cynical reasons and minor SPR mistakes:
  1. The technicality of modifying police IC numbering scheme,
  2. Regular voter registrations, inward and outward movements, and
  3. SPR's dead-voter deletion overdrive.
Although the reasons are not sinister, there are lessons for the SPR: How can SPR avoid such public confusion and distrust in the future?
  1. First, let police and military voters switch to a 12-digit civilian IC to simplify verification, update, and avoid duplicate registrations.

  2. Second, make voter registration automatic with MyKad status at the NRIC Department. Meanwhile, make NRIC accountable to the parliament, to prevent Sabah-like IC mess,

  3. Third, make SPR more transparent with the gazetted and quarterly electoral rolls. SPR has recently stopped the online publication of the quarterly rolls in PDF format.Given adequate data, NGOs and the media can actually help SPR avoid unnecessary confusion.

What's so complicated about the electoral rolls?
  • First, we need to clarify which versions of electoral rolls are being bandied about.
  • We believe the confusion arises from comparing these versions:
    • the 2008 Feb 5 gazetted roll used in the 12th GE, with data up to 2007 Dec 31 (=2007Q4),
    • The 2008 Jun 19 gazetted roll, with data up to 2008 Mar 31 (=2008Q1),
    • The ungazetted supplementary roll with data from 2008 Jun 30 (=2008Q2),
    • The 2008 Jul 31 ungazetted roll for Permatang Pauh, based on the 2008 Jun 19 gazetted roll, adjusted for subsequent deletions, but not additions, ie, deletion-type changes between 2008 Apr 1 and 2008 Jul 31.
  • PKR members are probably comparing versions (a) with (d), because they are most likely to have the MS Access soft copies for these two. Version (c) is most widely available in hard copy printed from PDF files, and reflects a "flow," or change, data, not a "point-in-time," cumulative, data.
  • In contrast, the SPR probably thinks in terms of versions (b) vs (d), since (b) is a gazetted version. Version (c) is an intermediate version, that is to be gazetted. If and when (c) is gazetted, the Permatang Pauh section can lead to further confusion, because its data are dated 20080630, and is a "prequel" to the by-election version (d).
  • We will focus on versions (a) and (d), because these are the most accessible to the public, and also from where the questions likely arise. We will supplement the information with version (b) which we have built into a "pro forma" version.
If you haven't been completely confused, read on!



So what happened? We will explain our finding in 8 points:


Finding 1. The difference of only 10 voters between the 12th-GE and by-election rolls hides larger changes beneath.

Table A below shows that Permatang Pauh:
  • contained 58,449 voters at the time of 12th GE roll gazetted on 2008 Feb 5,
  • but now contains 58,459 voters at this by-election roll, dated 2008 Jul 31.
  • On the surface, the roll has simply increased by 10 voters.
  • But the underlying picture is a bit more complicated.
Table A: Comparing 20080205 and 20080731 Data
Date of publicationGazettedData datevoter countComment
20080205200802052007123158,449Used in 12th GE
20080619200806192008033158,761Pro forma version estimated by Malvu.blogspot.com based on 2008Q1 changes
20080731Not gazetted20080731?58,459Used in this by-election


Finding 2. 951 voter ICs were deleted after the 12th GE roll, while 961 voter ICs were added to the by-election roll, netting the superficial increase of only 10 voter ICs.

Table B below shows that, between the times of the 12th GE and the by-election:
  • 951 voter ICs were deleted. In other words, these voters existed in the 12th GE roll, but are now "missing" from the by-election roll.
  • 961 new voter ICs were added. In other words, this many IC numbers were in the newer by-election roll, but had not existed in the 12th GE roll.
  • Net result is the addition of only 10 voters (=961-951) on the surface.
  • Meanwhile, 57,498 voter IC numbers exist in both the newer and older rolls. In other words, they remain valid voters both during the 12th GE and today's by-election.
  • The number of 949 missing names cited in the MerdekaReview.com article above likely refers to the 951 deleted ICs (not names), less the 2 easily-explained police retirement cases,
  • Our question is then: Were the deletion of 951 voters and addition of the other 961 voters reasonable and kosher?
Table B: Cross-Checking IC Numbers Between the 12th GE and By-Election Rolls

Postal &
non-
postal

Postal
Voters

Non-
postal
Voters
Comment
IC found in 20080205 but not in 20080731 951 = 491 + 460 These IC numbers were in the 12th GE roll, but now "gone" from by-election roll
IC found in 20080731 but not in 20080205 961 = 489 + 472 These IC numbers were not in the 12th GE roll, but are now in the by-election roll
IC found in both versions 57,498 = 1 + 57,497 These were in both the 12th GE and by-election rolls


Finding 3. Nearly half the changes involved an identical group of police postal voters, who have not actually moved, but have only had their police IC numbers slightly modified. This is enough to confuse the public, even apparently the SPR itself.
  • Overall, there were 492 police postal voters in Permatang Pauh as of the 12th GE.
  • One of them (G6014602) already had the "most updated" IC numbering format, and hence this IC number was not changed, "deleted" or "added back."
  • Another two (I0013148 and R0071611) were permanently deleted after the 12th GE, probably due to retirement.
  • The remaining 489 (=492-1-2) police postal voters had their IC numbers modified slightly, as we will explain later.
  • This IC number change causes these 489 postal voters to appear to have gone "missing" en masse.
  • The "missing" voters would total 491 if we count the 2 retirement cases mentioned above.
  • Meanwhile, the same 489 postal voters' newly modified IC numbers make them look like 489 newly "added" voters. This likely happens because PKR, and even SPR itself, have no choice but to search the database by relying on the unique IC numbers, known in database parlance as the "primary index".
  • This apparent and illusory "deletion" of 491 and "addition" of 489 postal voters account for about half the 951 "missing" and 961 "replacement" voters in the by-election roll.

Finding 4. The proof is in the detail: Let us look at all 489 pairs of slightly-changed police IC numbers.

From Table C below, we can see that the 489 pairs of old and new police postal IC numbers are nearly identical, having only these 2 feature changes:
  1. All police IC # starting with "R0" or "R" in 2008 Feb 5 roll have been changed to "RF" in the by-election roll. For example, R0117812 has been changed to RF117812.
  2. All police IC # starting with "G0," "I0," or "RT0" have been changed to "G," "I," or "RT" eliminating preceeding zeros. For example "RT007013" and "I0013642" have been changed to "RT7013" and "I13642" respectively.
Table C: Permatang Pauh's 489 Police Postal Voters' ICs as Formatted in Electoral Rolls Dated 2008 Feb 5 and 2008 Jul 31
2008020520080731
2008020520080731
2008020520080731
2008020520080731
R0117812RF117812
I0016525I16525
R0150393RF150393
R0115049RF115049
R0083450RF83450
R0121314RF121314
R0156472RF156472
R0122015RF122015
R0075343RF75343
I0015495I15495
RT017150RT17150
R0075600RF75600
R0110379RF110379
R0106264RF106264
R0121553RF121553
R0117609RF117609
R0066165RF66165
R0144589RF144589
R0099644RF99644
R0082847RF82847
R0094340RF94340
R0147646RF147646
R0116111RF116111
R0125958RF125958
RT007013RT7013
R0116861RF116861
R0072226RF72226
R0114448RF114448
R0084073RF84073
R0136943RF136943
R0119542RF119542
R0129824RF129824
R0117802RF117802
R0087700RF87700
R0147791RF147791
R0154684RF154684
R0116501RF116501
R0070383RF70383
R0064730RF64730
I0017421I17421
R0075162RF75162
R0106695RF106695
R0122041RF122041
R0118150RF118150
R0104241RF104241
R0119208RF119208
R0066504RF66504
R0096855RF96855
R0081895RF81895
R0098386RF98386
R0152192RF152192
R0150957RF150957
R0064863RF64863
R0092672RF92672
R0120416RF120416
R0155317RF155317
R0133195RF133195
R0105778RF105778
R0160854RF160854
R0106314RF106314
I0013642I13642
R0086517RF86517
R0096185RF96185
R0090262RF90262
R0110443RF110443
R0072837RF72837
R0109868RF109868
R0087460RF87460
R0150829RF150829
R0146826RF146826
G0016759G16759
R0070168RF70168
R0104462RF104462
G0010340G10340
R0016140RF16140
R0120817RF120817
R0098522RF98522
R0118270RF118270
R0150851RF150851
R0138717RF138717
R0157454RF157454
R0098446RF98446
R0152253RF152253
R0123647RF123647
R0126342RF126342
R0087746RF87746
R0146804RF146804
R0118151RF118151
R0147641RF147641
R0088872RF88872
RT017092RT17092
R0209015RF209015
R0148019RF148019
R0069129RF69129
I0015669I15669
R0122707RF122707
R0111866RF111866
R0082303RF82303
R0074986RF74986
R0127487RF127487
R0109440RF109440
R0059576RF59576
R0102538RF102538
R0135769RF135769
RT009714RT9714
RT009593RT9593
R0121104RF121104
R0104206RF104206
R0092824RF92824
R0104216RF104216
I0016952I16952
R0118437RF118437
R0090872RF90872
R0083428RF83428
R0092461RF92461
R0100972RF100972
R0120704RF120704
R0066678RF66678
I0010102I10102
R4068948RF4068948
R0066493RF66493
R0096059RF96059
RT013524RT13524
I0013105I13105
R0103016RF103016
R0007020RF7020
R0119522RF119522
R0087568RF87568
R0115002RF115002
R0101088RF101088
G0015784G15784
R0118571RF118571
R0069264RF69264
R0084978RF84978
R0150373RF150373
R0094393RF94393
R0096808RF96808
R0075855RF75855
R0075364RF75364
R0089600RF89600
R0072849RF72849
R065263RF65263
R0117352RF117352
R0157902RF157902
R0122428RF122428
R0118501RF118501
R0099634RF99634
R0146815RF146815
R0075559RF75559
R0094191RF94191
R0156050RF156050
R0127383RF127383
G0009929G9929
R0101759RF101759
I0013498I13498
R0082005RF82005
R0099581RF99581
R0112305RF112305
R0115735RF115735
R0084519RF84519
R0161034RF161034
R0110411RF110411
R0059422RF59422
R0118524RF118524
R0071196RF71196
I0015858I15858
R0085050RF85050
R0139560RF139560
R0086272RF86272
R0117385RF117385
R0118247RF118247
R0081950RF81950
R0058643RF58643
R0087723RF87723
R0150756RF150756
R0071496RF71496
I0017140I17140
R0073939RF73939
I0009048I9048
R0092831RF92831
R0111890RF111890
R0121980RF121980
R0112759RF112759
R0094451RF94451
R0158318RF158318
R0082276RF82276
R0124857RF124857
R0085785RF85785
R0122429RF122429
R0117288RF117288
R0110132RF110132
R0090295RF90295
R0101127RF101127
R0104469RF104469
R0065091RF65091
R0141877RF141877
R0109306RF109306
R0111437RF111437
R0074980RF74980
RT012073RT12073
R0139177RF139177
I0016109I16109
R0159393RF159393
I0016795I16795
R0153224RF153224
R0138304RF138304
R0074313RF74313
R0138322RF138322
R0154666RF154666
R0152268RF152268
RT017098RT17098
R0141991RF141991
R0067147RF67147
R0138920RF138920
R0144493RF144493
R0069164RF69164
R0106936RF106936
R0120262RF120262
R0111938RF111938
I0010825I10825
R0103900RF103900
R0075173RF75173
R0145358RF145358
R0094306RF94306
R0113253RF113253
R0108918RF108918
R0118325RF118325
I0008287I8287
R0102111RF102111
R0089312RF89312
R0116414RF116414
R0121418RF121418
R0137757RF137757
R0097853RF97853
R0150400RF150400
RT007425RT7425
R0125261RF125261
R0084200RF84200
R0106883RF106883
R0127275RF127275
R0117266RF117266
R0090007RF90007
R0100604RF100604
R0090619RF90619
R0110136RF110136
R0138733RF138733
R0102610RF102610
R0119829RF119829
R0089976RF89976
RT007021RT7021
R0069725RF69725
R0111099RF111099
I0015980I15980
R0085327RF85327
R0092344RF92344
R0101869RF101869
R0092005RF92005
R0072814RF72814
R0085523RF85523
I0014237I14237
R0115609RF115609
R0073548RF73548
R0075596RF75596
R0069567RF69567
R0129826RF129826
R0120282RF120282
G0010593G10593
R0086808RF86808
R0095077RF95077
R0107024RF107024
R0102663RF102663
R0102645RF102645
R0098789RF98789
I0011269I11269
R0068305RF68305
I0013908I13908
R0075212RF75212
I0016783I16783
R0073304RF73304
R0069521RF69521
R0066339RF66339
R0089026RF89026
R0106103RF106103
R0148427RF148427
R0116504RF116504
R0102937RF102937
R0094390RF94390
R0116417RF116417
R0060135RF60135
R0123190RF123190
R0119640RF119640
R0131568RF131568
R0106581RF106581
R0110041RF110041
I0014965I14965
G0016185G16185
R0090416RF90416
R0103029RF103029
R0119068RF119068
R0110449RF110449
R0066610RF66610
R0098627RF98627
R0138208RF138208
R0070173RF70173
R0113312RF113312
R0099137RF99137
R0138214RF138214
R0105197RF105197
R0097230RF97230
R0069353RF69353
R0075774RF75774
R0160886RF160886
I0017068I17068
R0114111RF114111
R0137764RF137764
R0121142RF121142
R0127064RF127064
R0155827RF155827
R0111484RF111484
R0136263RF136263
R0118159RF118159
R0067825RF67825
R0102302RF102302
R0068361RF68361
R0054978RF54978
R0104197RF104197
R0138212RF138212
R0126897RF126897
R0092037RF92037
R0055360RF55360
R0115649RF115649
R0109539RF109539
R0115637RF115637
R0102590RF102590
R0105562RF105562
R0106522RF106522
R0088651RF88651
R0092888RF92888
R0118252RF118252
R0114994RF114994
RT015000RT15000
R0092114RF92114
R0068148RF68148
R0097692RF97692
R0116711RF116711
R0118351RF118351
R0105909RF105909
RT009716RT9716
R0094465RF94465
R0054938RF54938
R0103137RF103137
RT007026RT7026
R0069476RF69476
RT011990RT11990
R0129943RF129943
R0093626RF93626
R0088717RF88717
RT011958RT11958
R0137820RF137820
R0064917RF64917
R0124440RF124440
RT011988RT11988
I0016516I16516
R0098125RF98125
R0072179RF72179
R0073400RF73400
R0155013RF155013
R0116034RF116034
I0013491I13491
RT007035RT7035
R0069136RF69136
R0117340RF117340
R0091444RF91444
R0058175RF58175
R0101891RF101891
R0132520RF132520
R0098521RF98521
R0066078RF66078
R0107972RF107972
R0104387RF104387
R0059415RF59415
R0102961RF102961
R0066208RF66208
R0091382RF91382
I0016226I16226
R0122779RF122779
R0087491RF87491
R0113831RF113831
R0090962RF90962
R0082794RF82794
R0059684RF59684
R0085849RF85849
R0063770RF63770
R0067988RF67988
I0014150I14150
R0122598RF122598
R0090810RF90810
I0014091I14091
R0100837RF100837
R0116364RF116364
R0092038RF92038
R0138088RF138088
RT012082RT12082
R0104209RF104209
R0095087RF95087
R0118936RF118936
R0098885RF98885
R0117549RF117549
R0137143RF137143
I0015279I15279
R0068460RF68460
R0139473RF139473
R0088718RF88718
G0010459G10459
R0105514RF105514
R0125742RF125742
I0012513I12513
R0116946RF116946
R0102949RF102949
R0126530RF126530
G0009068G9068
R0139514RF139514
R0157897RF157897
R0094339RF94339
R0092019RF92019
R0108885RF108885
RT007037RT7037
R0113963RF113963
R0108073RF108073
I0016617I16617
R0090997RF90997
R0072823RF72823
R0085982RF85982
RT016618RT16618
R0091885RF91885
R0133525RF133525
R0089495RF89495
G0010714G10714
R0088438RF88438
R0100831RF100831
R0139568RF139568
R0118710RF118710
R0064739RF64739
R0110553RF110553
RT015968RT15968
R0101581RF101581
R0092126RF92126
I0013880I13880
R0094405RF94405
R0146589RF146589
R0085474RF85474
R0124820RF124820
R0100609RF100609
R0094259RF94259
R0071032RF71032
R0139594RF139594
R0150986RF150986
R0085635RF85635
R0069950RF69950
R0116477RF116477
R0090113RF90113
RT016106RT16106
R0075273RF75273
R0082136RF82136
R0105635RF105635
R0152652RF152652
R0118573RF118573
R0070484RF70484
R0127580RF127580
R0110021RF110021
R0138188RF138188
R0063476RF63476
R0091637RF91637
R0111843RF111843
R0067341RF67341
R0072256RF72256
R0119628RF119628
R0139485RF139485
R0105516RF105516
R0136959RF136959
R0089897RF89897
R0145798RF145798
R0131432RF131432


R0072131RF72131
I0016650I16650
R0130748RF130748


R0106937RF106937
I0012250I12250
R0107051RF107051


Note: If you can't see the whole table width, reduce your browser text size (Menu>View>Text Size). You can also click, drag, highlight the table, copy, and paste special, value, into your Excel spreadsheet for easier viewing.


Finding 5: SPR did a poor and confusing job in modifying these police IC numbers, and in explaining the changes.


While we now understand that 489 police postal voters really did not move in or out of Permatang Pauh, there remain other questions and expected problems:
  • SPR should have expected this IC number confusion, should have been ready to explain the changes, thereby preempting a loss to its own credibility.
  • This postal IC number modification occurred in a rush, only after the 2008 Jun 19 gazetted roll, in which we can find the old-formatted IC numbers. Confirming this timing is that we cannot find these "deletion" or "addition" in the 2008Q1 supplementary roll.
  • The changes do not look permanent. Any further changes will again invite confusion. Some of the "new format" police IC numbers are too short or too long to be a standardized, permanent, format:
    • Most of the IC#s are preceded by one or two alphabets, followed by 6 digits,
    • But there are IC#s followed by only 4-5 digits, for example, RT9714, G9929, and I13642.
    • There is an IC# followed by 7 digits, ie, RF4068948. With the "RF" prefix, this IC# has 9 characters in all, and is a non-standard occurrence.
    • With the above oddities, we would expect SPR at anytime to add back the zeros to the shorter IC#s make them a standard length, reigniting confusion.
  • A separate matter is that about 404 of the "Bukit Mertajam" police HQ/station officers have probably been gerrymandered into the "Permatang Pauh" seat. We will deal with the geographical question another time.
Why did SPR risk confusion to modify the police IC numbers? We believe SPR "shortened" the police IC numbers to preempt any embarrassing discovery of duplicate registrations of postal voters, as reported earlier:
Obviously, the SPR didn't anticipate that this IC-shortening move itself would cause new internal and external confusions.

The solution to this and future problems? Switch to using 12-digit civilian ICs for all postal (police and military) voters. Aren't they exercising their civilian duties when voting? Aren't they born civilian? Haven't they received the MyKad and 12-digit IC numbers by the age of 12 - before they enter the police and army? Aren't they going to retire as civilians?

Moreover, we feel the SPR also does not fully realize that many of the duplicated postal registration also involve input mistakes and variations in names (Nama) and year of birth (Tahunlahir), albeit not in P044. See Tables B and C in "771 doppelgängers." It is these second and third layers of input mistakes at SPR's voter registration procedure that caused the errors to be so difficult to trace.

The solution to this and future problem? Make voter registration automatic, as they attain their MyKad and 12-digit ICs.


Finding 6: The deletion of 460 non-postal voters after the 12th GE is more dicey. We can only trace 218 of the 460 deletions - given SPR's lack of transparency. The remaining 242 could have contained the 5 embarrassing cases of "alive-and-well but deleted-as-dead" voters documented by the media and NGO.

Table D tells us that:
  • 460 of the 951 voter ICs deleted were non-postal voters
  • Our investigation of the 2008Q1 supplemental roll revealed that 84 voters were deleted because they moved out of P044, and 89 deceased voters were deleted. SPR was going through an aggressive campaign to clean up cumulated dead voters across the country.
  • In total, SPR deleted 173 (=84+89) voters from Permatang Pauh in 2008Q1. We have recorded this finding in our earlier blog "Pro Forma Electoral Roll for P044 for 2008Q1."
  • In all, we can trace 218 (=84+89+25+20) of the 460 deletions of non-postal voters so far.
  • That leaves 242 deletions of non-postal voters to be explained.
Table D: Accounting for deletion of 951 voters after the 12th GE
Voter changes
Number
of Voters
Number
of Voters
Number of voter ICs deleted after 12th GE
951
Number of postal voter IC deleted/modified
491
Number of non-postal voter IC deleted
460
2008 Jun 19 gazetted list (data as of 2008 Mar 31,
we calculate from our pro forma version)


Deletion of voters for moving out reported in 2008Q184
Deletion of voters due to death reported in 2008Q189
Subtotal - Deletion reported in 2008Q1
173
Number of deletions to explain
for 2008Q2 and 2008 July

287



SPR deletion of all voters 100 or older
in April, May, June, July
25
SPR deletion of voters 86 to 99 years old
in April, May, June, July
20
Subtotal - Deletion of 86+ year voters
in 2008Q2 and up to July 31

45
Number of non-postal deletion we can trace218
Number of deletions to explain
242

From recent pattern of a special SPR campaign to delete dead voters, we figure it is reasonable to expect about 200 deletions of moved-out and dead voters per quarter, for April, May, and June, a period that should overlap with the above 86+ voter deletion (25+20).
  • Any registration changes for July 2008 (after 2008Q2), however, have not even been publicly displayed - not to mention gazetted. It would be imprudent for SPR to delete from July changes, although it could account for perhaps 100 or more missing voters.
  • SPR's lack of transparency and unwillingness to make 2008Q2 supplementary roll easily available means we cannot trace the last 242 deletions. We can only make partial, manual, checking and guesses.
  • These 242 untraced deletions could easily contain mistakes created in a rush. If so, SPR would have embarrassed itself by trying to avoid embarrassing itself.
  • MalaysiaKini.com and MerdekaReview.com have reported a total of 5 cases of voters, who are alive and well, who were told by SPR staff on polling day that they had been considered dead and deleted from the rolls.
  • We can confirm one case (Ang Kean Tatt, born 1983) where the voter did exist in the 2008 Feb 5 roll, is alive and well, but is not found in the 2008 Jul 31 roll, and was told he was dead in the voters roll.
  • We suspect other cases may involve long-dormant voters who have suddenly found themselves gerrymandered away from Permatang Pauh even before the 12th GE.
  • See various reports:

Finding 7: The "addition" of 961 voters in the by-election roll was also inflated by 489 new-formatted police postal voter IC numbers

As we explained above in Finding 2, 489 police voters remained in Permatang Pauh so far this yea. But their newly-formatted IC numbers have made these 489 look like "new additions" to the roll.


Finding 8: The remaining 472 (=961-489) new non-postal voters can be traced to normal new voters and moved-in voters in 2008Q1, gazetted in 2008 Jun 19.
  • SPR press release indicated that SPR did not add new voters after the 2008 Jun 19 gazetted (2008Q1 data) rolls, and that SPR only deleted voters found to have moved out or to have died.
  • The 2008Q1 supplementary roll revealed that 485 new voters were added to Permatang Pauh in 2008Q1, gazetted on 2008 Jun 19:
    • 373 voters were added due to new registration, and
    • 112 voters were added because they moved into Permatang Pauh.

  • Earlier we calculated that 472 non-postal voters were added, which is fewer than 485 reported in 2008Q1.
  • This means we can account for almost all the addition to the by-election roll.
  • As a result, we had not been too worried about "phantom voters" being imported into the electoral roll. (Although bused-in phantoms using other valid voters' ICs is another matter to worry about.)
  • Still, the difference of 13, between 485 non-postal voters added in 2008Q1 and 472 additional non-postal voters found on the by-election roll, is a small mystery. Some 13 voters were somehow deleted or not included somewhere.

With the above 8 points of finding, and the confusion created by SPR changes, we repeat these three recommendations for improving SPR and the electoral rolls:
  1. First, let police and military voters switch to a 12-digit civilian IC to simplify verification, update, and avoid duplicate registrations.

  2. Second, make voter registration automatic with MyKad status at the NRIC Department. Meanwhile, make NRIC accountable to the parliament, to prevent Sabah-like IC mess,

  3. Third, make SPR more transparent with the gazetted and quarterly electoral rolls. SPR has recently stopped the online publication of the quarterly rolls in PDF format.Given adequate data, NGOs and the media can actually help SPR avoid unnecessary confusion.

2 comments:

KC said...

The third quarter electoral roll supplementary changes (rang tambahan) is available for checking at
http://daftarj.spr.gov.my/rang/rang.aspx

However, no PDF files are available, it seems.

Hardcopies are available for viewing at post offices, listed here:
http://www.spr.gov.my/index/pameran.html

The second quarter changes have been gazetted on 2008 Sep 4. Check here (will be updated to a later roll in future):
http://daftarj.spr.gov.my/daftarj/

General home page:
http://www.spr.gov.my/index/pagemulabi.htm


SPR press release:

KENYATAAN AKHBAR
SURUHANJAYA PILIHAN RAYA (SPR), MALAYSIA
BIL.17/2008

PAMERAN RANG DAFTAR PEMILIH TAMBAHAN
SUKU TAHUN KETIGA 2008


1. Dalam tempoh urusan pendaftaran pemilih Suku Tahun Ketiga (Julai hingga September) 2008, Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) Malaysia telah menerima sebanyak 24,531 permohonan pendaftaran sebagai pemilih baru dan sebanyak 6,200 permohonan untuk pertukaran alamat pusat mengundi daripada pemilih yang sedia berdaftar dengan SPR.

2. Selaras dengan kehendak Peraturan 13(5A), Peraturan-Peraturan Pilihan Raya (Pendaftaran Pemilih) 2002, Rang Daftar Pemilih Tambahan bagi Suku Tahun Ketiga 2008 akan dipamerkan mulai 28 Oktober hingga 03 November 2008 di 985 tempat pameran di seluruh Negara seperti berikut:

...
http://www.spr.gov.my/index/pameranrang/PAMERANRDPT3.doc

KC said...

SPR partially explained the issue in a press release. It didn't explain the change in voters with police IDs.

http://www.spr.gov.my/index/infop44.htm

----

PENJELASAN MENGENAI DAKWAAN PIHAK PKR BAHAWA 949 NAMA PEMILIH HILANG DARI DAFTAR PEMILIH PILIHAN RAYA KECIL P.044 PERMATANG PAUH

1. Akhbar The STAR dimuka surat 8 keluaran Isnin 25 Ogos 2008 membawa berita bahawa pihak Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) mendakwa seramai 949 nama pemilih yang kebanyakkannya penyokong-penyokong mereka yang ada di dalam Daftar Pemilih Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-12 pada 8 Mac 2008 dikatakan telah hilang daripada Daftar Pemilih yang dikemaskini sehingga 31 Julai 2008 yang akan digunapakai dalam Pilihan Raya Kecil P.044 Permatang Pauh pada 26 Ogos 2008. Semakan yang dibuat oleh SPR dengan pengkalan data pemilih mengesahkan bahawa tuduhan yang dibuat itu adalah kurang tepat dan mungkin boleh mengelirukan para pembaca berita tersebut.

2. Untuk makluman para Pemilih Berdaftar dalam bahagian Pilihan Raya Parlimen P.044 Permatang Pauh khususnya dan juga untuk makluman orang ramai amnya,terdapat seramai 58,449 orang Pemilih Berdaftar dalam PRU ke-12. Semasa tempoh urusan Pendaftaran dan Penyemakan Daftar Pemilih untuk Suku Tahun Pertama 2008 yang bermula dari 1 Januari sehingga 31 Mac 2008, terdapat tambahan seramai 484 orang pemilih yang terdiri daripada 372 orang pemilih baru dan 112 permohonan daripada pemilih-pemilih berdaftar di Bahagian-bahagian Pilihan Parlimen yang lain untuk membuat permohonan pertukaran Pusat Mengundi ke bahagian Pilihan Raya Parlimen P.044 Permatang Pauh. Apabila angka tambahan sebanyak 484 orang pemilih ini dicampur dengan 58,449 orang pemilih yang sedia ada dalam Daftar Pemilih PRU ke-12, ia menjadikan angka keseluruhan pemilih di bahagian Pilihan Raya Parlimen P.044 Permatang Pauh sebanyak 58,933 pada 31 Mac 2008.

3. Walaubagaimanapun, SPR telah membuat pemotongan seramai 173 orang pemilih dalam Suku Tahun Pertama 2008 iaitu 84 orang Pemilih Berdaftar di Bahagian Pilihan Raya Parlimen P.044 Permatang Pauh yang telahpun memohon untuk bertukar alamat Pusat Mengundi keluar daripada bahagian Pilihan Raya Parlimen P.044 Permatang Pauh serta telah membuat 89 lain – lain pemotongan kerana kematian dan sebagainya. Justeru itu, apabila ditolak angka 58,933 orang pemilih seperti yang diterangkan di para 2 di atas dengan jumlah pemotongan sebanyak 173 orang pemilih dalam tempoh yang sama iaitu Suku Tahun Pertama 2008, maka bilangan pemilih berdaftar bagi Bahagian Pilihan Raya Parlimen P.044 Permatang Pauh pada 31 Mac 2008 adalah seramai 58,760 orang pemilih. Angka ini telah pun diwartakan pada 19 Jun 2008.

4. Dalam Suku Tahun Kedua yang bermula daripada, 1 April sehingga 30 Jun 2008, SPR telah membuat pemotongan seramai 143 orang pemilih kerana kematian,lucut hak warganegara dan sebagainya. Kesemua 143 nama pemilih itu telahpun dipamerkan semasa urusan pameran Rang Daftar Pemilih Suku Tahun Kedua yang dibuat pada 21 sehingga 27 Julai 2008.

5. Selain daripada itu, SPR juga telah membuat pemotongan tambahan seramai 158 orang pemilih kerana telah meninggal dunia, silap pendataan, tiada rekod di JPN dan sebagainya dari 1 Julai sehingga 31 Julai 2008. Ini bermakna jumlah pemotongan yang telah dibuat oleh SPR dari tempoh 1 April sehingga 31 Julai 2008 adalah seramai 301 orang pemilih (143 campur 158). Dengan ini, angka terkini bilangan Pemilih Berdaftar bagi Bahagian Pilihan Raya Parlimen P.044 Permatang Pauh pada 31 Julai 2008 adalah seramai 58,459 orang pemilih (58,760 orang pemilih tolak 301 orang pemilih).

6. Dengan penjelasan-penjelasan seperti yang dinyatakan di para 2 sehingga 5 di atas adalah diharapkan para Pemilih Berdaftar khususnya di Bahagian Pilihan Raya Parlimen P.044 Permatang Pauh dan juga orang ramai amnya akan mendapat gambaran yang lebih jelas mengenai isu yang telah dibangkitkan oleh PKR ini.

7. Selain daripada itu, sekali lagi ditegaskan bahawa maklumat peribadi Pemilih Berdaftar di Bahagian Pilihan Raya Parlimen P.044 Permatang Pauh yang telah dikemaskini oleh SPR pada 31 Julai 2008 adalah sama dengan Daftar Pemilih Pilihan Raya yang telah diserahkan kepada setiap orang calon yang bertanding pada Hari Penamaan Calon yang diadakan pada 16 Ogos 2008. Justeru itu, mana-mana Pemilih Berdaftar dalam Bahagian Pilihan Raya Parlimen P.044 Permatang Pauh yang hendak mengetahui dengan lebih tepat mengenai tiga perkara iaitu nama Pusat Mengundi tempat seseorang pemilih akan mengundi pada 26 Ogos 2008, nombor saluran mengundi masing-masing Pusat Mengundi tersebut dan juga nombor siri pemilih yang tersenarai di dalam Buku Daftar Pemilih Pilihan Raya bagi tempat (saluran) mengundi berkenaan bolehlah dibuat melalui salah satu daripada tiga sistem semakan seperti berikut:

7.1 Melalui semakan laman web SPR dengan melayari www.spr.gov.my dan klik kepada Permatang Pauh.

7.2 Melalui perkhidmatan Sistem Pesanan Ringkas (SMS) dengan menaip SPR <jarak> nombor kad pengenalan dan hantar kepada 15888; atau

7.3 Melalui semakan dengan BIlik Gerakan Pilihan Raya Pejabat Pilihan Raya Negeri Pulau Pinang melalui talian 04-2617692 dari jam 8.00 pagi sehingga 12.00 malam pada 25 Ogos 2008.

Sekian,terima kasih.

“Berkhidmat Untuk Negara”

Saya Yang Menurut Perintah,


(DATUK HAJI KAMARUZAMAN BIN HAJI MOHD NOOR)
Setiausaha,
Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) Malaysia.
Tarikh: 25 Ogos 2008