KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 — Umno divisions with irregularities in their voting processes would be investigated and their initial results suspended, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said tonight.
The Umno president said the party’s leadership had received complaints and was aware of the situation in several states where fights and voter fraud were said to be taking place.
“At all the state voting centres, there is a member from the Central Voting Committee who will check the results. If we hear of anything that is irregular or people have made complaints, we will first cancel the results of the vote,” he said when asked about Umno’s steps to remedy the situation.
“Then we will tell the unit to investigate the matter and eventually it would end up in a recount.
“If need be, we will refer the individuals who were responsible for the irregularities to the disciplinary board. As for now, only the two places, Lahad Datu and Johor Baru, have reported issues,” he added to reporters when met at Umno headquarters at World Trade Centre.
Apart from that, Zahid vowed that the results would be scrutinised and said that as there were more than 160,000 voters, there would be a situation where some would be unhappy.
Earlier today, the Lahad Datu Umno division delegates meeting was marred by a fight believed to be a result of provocation that resulted in two individuals being injured.
Lahad Datu district police chief ACP Rohan Shah Ahmad said in the 2.45pm incident, one of the injured was identified as an Umno employee from the Sabah Umno Liaison Committee Office while the other is a member of the Lahad Datu Division Umno Youth Committee.
The party elections and annual meetings kicked off on February 1 until yesterday, while the results started coming earlier tonight.
