KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 — Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Razarudin Husain today reportedly said that the police will be contacting newly sworn-in Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Nor for displaying his ballot to the media during the state election last Saturday.
According to a report from Sinar Harian, Razarudin said it was an offence under the Election Offences Act 1954.
“Further investigation into the incident will be investigated under Section 5(1) and Section 26(1)(g) of the Election Offences Act 1954.
“Whatever it is, give the police the opportunity to investigate first, and he will be called as soon as possible to record his statement,” Razarudin was quoted as saying after an event at Bukit Aman.
He said the complete investigation paper will be handed over to the attorney general for further action.
“It will go through several processes and the police will go through the said processes. We will investigate whoever is found to have committed an offence.
“The investigation will be conducted fairly and impartially and that is the duty of the police, we do not want to persecute anyone in the investigation,” he was quoted as saying.
Sanusi, who is Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) Jeneri state seat candidate reportedly deliberately showed off his marked ballot papers to media personnel in an act caught by media photographers when he was in the midst of submitting his ballot papers at the Sekolah Kebangsaan Bandar Baru Beris Jaya polling centre in Sik at about 11am.
Berita Harian reported that Sanusi’s actions drew criticism from social media users, who shared a photo of him displaying his political party of choice on the ballot paper.
Section 5(1) of the Election Offences Act 1954 states that any person authorised to attend any proceeding related to the issue or receipt of postal ballot papers, or at a polling station, or at the counting of the votes must make an oath of secrecy.
According to Section 5(7), conviction of an offence related to the above section will cause the offender to be liable to imprisonment for up to a year or a fine of up to RM3,000 or both.
Section 26(1)(g) states that on polling day, no person is allowed to hold, carry or wear anything that displays the name of a candidate or the name, emblem or symbol of any political party.
The offence is governed by Section 26(2), which states that convicted person will be liable to imprisonment not exceeding one year or a fine not exceeding RM5,000 or both.
