Bribed voters urged to complain to the EC

POLITICS / ELECTION AFTERMATH

Bribed voters urged to complain to the EC

ACHARA ASHAYAGACHAT

Voters who were bribed are being encouraged to take their cases to the Election Commission (EC) so the vote-buyers can be punished. The Asia Network for Free Elections (Anfrel) yesterday urged the Election Commission to look seriously into Sunday's election violations.

While commending the EC for a generally smooth election, the organisation has found some problems with polling procedures and suggested that education was the best way to discourage vote-buying among the younger generation.

''Our concern is more with election violations in the pre-election period and how the EC will deal with cases of election fraud in the next two weeks,'' said Damaso Magbual, head of the Anfrel poll-observing mission.

''We urge the EC to pursue cases of vote-buying vigorously but to do so equitably. They must not be seen to award red and yellow cards unfairly. So far the decision-making of the EC has not been open enough,'' he said.

Anfrel, a regional network of civil society organisations, sent international observers to all eight zones, and said it would observe any by-elections organised in the coming weeks.

Despite new legislation, money politics remains pervasive, said Mr Magbual, adding that people were scared to report vote-buying to authorities because they feared for their safety and doubted anyone would be successfully prosecuted.

Sakool Zuesongdham, another Anfrel member, criticised the EC for half-heartedly handling complaints and accused police of maintaining a ''neutral gear'' attitude against voters' complaints.

Mr Sakool encouraged people paid bribes to file complaints within seven days. The EC should sincerely investigate the cases and give red or yellow cards not only to the elected, but also to non-elected bribe-givers.

He said some government officials, particularly village headmen, were not neutral. ''They continue to canvass for political parties and are even on polling station committees, where they can potentially influence voters,'' he said.