SPR Improves Voter Name Consistency, With Mixed Results

In the KT electoral roll gazetted on 2008 Dec 5, SPR has improved voter name consistencies by changing backquote (`) to single quote ('), and made some standardization of "Bin" and "Binti" formats, etc. But there were reversals, and accidental addition of double spaces into 121 names, etc.

Background:

• Previously, we had criticized the SPR for inconsistent input in voter names, such as "B," "Bn," and "Bin," that had contributed to difficulty even for SPR itself to catch duplicate registration mistakes.
• We observe SPR has improved some voter name formats.
• However, there remain inconsistencies, and accidental additions.
  

Table A shows that, between the 2008 Feb 5-gazetted roll for GE12, and the 2008 Dec 5-gazetted roll for the KT by-election:

• SPR has reduced 505 uses of backquotes(`) to 11 incidences.
  
• But added 121 names with double spaces within the names.
• The incidences of " B " in names have been reduced by 88, mostly standardized to " Bin ".
• The incidences of " Bt " in names have been reduced by 276, mostly standardized to " Binti ".
• There were other improvements and problems, with examples in Table B.
• Table A shows only the net change. For example, many "B" were standardized to "Bin," but a few "Bin" were reverted to "B."
  

Table A: Comparison of some name format changes in KT

Roll gazetted	20080205	20081205	Net Change
`	505	11	-494
Double spaces	0	121	121
BT	1228	952	-276
BT.	29	29	0
BTE	11	10	-1
B	777	689	-88
BN	1	0	-1

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back. We have found 2,434 voters in KT whose IC remain the same, but whose names have been modified. Most of the changes were to update spelling mistakes in names. Table B shows examples of other changes, which includes improvements and new problems.

Table B: Examples of Improvements and New Problems in the Latest KT By-Election Electoral Roll

Older, 20080205 GE12 Electoral Roll	Newer, 20081205 By-Election Electoral Roll
Improvement: backquote to single quote
JUNAIDAH BINTI SEMAN @ JA`AFAR	JUNAIDAH BINTI SEMAN @ JA'AFAR
NOORA`AINI BINTI JA`AFAR	NOORA'AINI BINTI JA'AFAR
Problem: Addition of double spaces in names
AZLINA BINTI ABDUL RAHIM	AZLINA BINTI ABDUL RAHIM
PATRICIA WEE CHWEE LIEW	PATRICIA WEE CHWEE LIEW
Improvement: deletion of army IC number from name
WAN ASMIDAR BINTI WAN AHMAD I/K T1076796	WAN ASMIDAR BINTI WAN AHMAD
ZAHANI BINTI ISMAIL I/K T1077955	ZAHANI BINTI ISMAIL
Improvement: Standardization of BINTI
NOROSZITA AYU BT MOHAMED	NOROSZITA AYU BINTI MOHAMED
ROHANI BT MUSTAFFA	ROHANI BINTI MUSTAFFA
NAFISAH BTE ABDULLAH	NAFISAH BINTI ABDULLAH
TUAN SHARIFAH AZURA BT. TUAN KUNING	TUAN SHARIFAH AZURA BINTI TUAN KUNING
Improvement: Standardization of BIN
ROS ISFENDI B ABDULLAH	ROS ISFENDI BIN ABDULLAH
MOHD KAMAL B OMAR	MOHD KAMAL BIN OMAR
Improvement: Addition of needed space
SURAILY BINTI SULONG @HASHIM	SURAILY BINTI SULONG @ HASHIM
WAN AHMAD ANUAR BIN W.EMBONG	WAN AHMAD ANUAR BIN W EMBONG
Problem: Deletion of needed space
CHE KU NAPISAH BINTI CHE ENGKU A. GHANI	CHE KU NAPISAH BINTI CHE ENGKU A.GHANI
KAMARIAH BINTI AB. ROSHID	KAMARIAH BINTI AB.ROSHID
WAN MOHD HAIRIE BIN WAN MOHD HANIF	WAN.MOHD.HAIRIE BIN WAN.MOHD.HANIF
Problem: Variation and deletion of BIN, BINTI
AZUWA @ NOR AZUWA BINTI MOHD NOOR	AZUWA @ NOR AZUWA BT MOHD NOOR
NORLIZA BINTI OMAR	NORLIZA BT OMAR
SHARIFAH AINUL FARIHAH BINTI SYED ABDULLAH	SHARIFAH AINUL FARIHAH
MOHD RAHIM BIN ISMAIL	MOHD RAHIM B ISMAIL