By Nancy Nais
JULAU, Nov 10: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) deputy president candidate Rafizi Ramli will not concede defeat in the Sarawak polls despite the suspended Julau election results following a ‘cyber attack’.
“Whatever the outcome, there is no way we will accept the result,” he told reporters after the voting closes at the Julau Sports Centre here today.
“As you all are aware, the e-voting devices have been compromised. The central election committee (CEC) has released a very strong worded statement on how the devices were been hacked. I am certain that whatever it is, the results in Julau will not be accepted,” Rafizi said.
The party’s CEC chief Datuk Rashid Din revealed that a `Prey Anti-Theft software’ infiltrated the 10 units of tablets that were used for the Julau party election today.
The CEC and IT Unit detected the e-voting system at Julau Election Centre as abnormal at 2pm. Following the situation, the committee made the decision to suspend the election results until all the tablets are rectified.
Rafizi said the tablets were hacked with malicious spyware that allowed the devices to be controlled remotely.
“I noticed something ‘fishy’ going on when I saw someone inside the voting hall touching the device, appearing to be doing something. I took a video and we questioned that person before informing the CEC in Kuala Lumpur.
“As we speak, Julau MP Larry Sng has gone to the police station to lodge a report on this matter,” he continued.
Rafizi said investigations revealed that the `Prey Anti-Theft’ software was physically installed on the tablets that were reserved for Julau Branch, at about 4am before the polls.
He added that it is now up to the CEC and police to investigate the matter.
“I am unable to give you any results or numbers for now. We will have to wait for the decision of the CEC. I am as clueless as you are but I am glad that the committee admitted there have been a hacking and tampering to the devices.”
He believed the party might reboot the election in Julau but expressed concern whether everybody still possess the energy to partake in the whole voting process.
“The toll the campaign team is extremely huge. To mobilise party members, especially in rural areas like Julau, will eat up a lot in terms of logistics. I certainly don’t have a single cent left to organise another round. It takes a lot of money and time,” Rafizi said.
He cited the election results in three divisions in Sabah – Tawau, Pensiangan and Keningau – as a cause for concern and providing reasons to feel suspicious over the whole e-voting process.
“It was difficult to make sense in terms of the crowd and the result. Thousands of people turn up to vote but when the results came out, it made us all dumbfounded. It was unexpected.
“After today’s confirmation from the CEC that the devices were hacked and compromised, it confirms our suspicion all along,” he added.
He hoped PKR will continue to defend the integrity of the election process and stand for transparency. — DayakDaily
