Defiant EC say 'we are not going anywhere'

Despite mounting pressure for their resignation, embattled Election Commission deputy chief Wan Ahmad Wan Omar (pic) said he and his colleagues were staying put.

“EC will not budge with the illogical demand. We will not give in. No need to continue with rallies causing hardship to people and others because EC is staying firm with its decision,” said Wan Ahmad.

He was responding to the Blackout 505 rally in Padang Merbok which attracted some 30,000 people despite worsening haze condition.

The rally last Saturday called for Wan Ahmad and his boss Abdul Aziz Yusof's resignation as well as for a postponement of the constituency delineation exercise.

The rally was followed up by young activists and students from Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) who set up their tents at Padang Merbok, vowing to stay there until the opening of the 13th parliamentary session, which is due today.

"They (the new members of parliament) sometimes do not know how redelineation is done, they are only following the old MPs. The matter has its own procedures, not decided by EC, the commission can only recommend, those who are not happy can protest,” said Wan Ahmad defiantly.

At PR’s leadership convention yesterday, PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim said there would be no more Blackout rallies by the opposition but said the campaign against electoral fraud would continue.

"We cannot deny that majority of rakyat rejected UMNO and BN," said Anwar, alluding to PR's victory in terms of popular votes.

"(But) it is the system that allowed them to remain in power. But we cannot concede,” the Permatang Pauh MP was quoted as saying by Malaysiakini. -HD