From:
Date: 01 Dec 1999
Time: 01:38:36
International observers find traces of fraud in Malaysian polls
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 (AFP) - A foreign poll watchdog group said Tuesday it found traces of fraud and other irregularities in Monday's Malaysian general election and could not conclude it was "free and fair."
A group from the Asian Network for Free Election deployed observers at polling stations in eight of the 13 states.
"What we can infer is, there was a systematic attempt to organise the voter registration in a way it will favour the victory of certain parties," said Sunai Phasuk, a member of the Bangkok-based election watchdog.
He told AFP after a press conference he was referring to the ruling National Front coalition, which won another big majority in the polls.
Sunai said migrants from the Philippines were given identity cards on condition they vote National Front. He distributed photocopies of temporary identity cards bearing the same picture but different names and numbers.