KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 — The Attorney-General (AG) must investigate Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who claimed to know the identities of Rela officers who failed to cast their ballots in Election 2013, a DAP federal lawmaker demanded today.

Serdang MP Dr Ong Kian Ming rang alarm over Ahmad Zahid’s claim yesterday, that he knew who among the volunteer civilian corps had voted or abstained, saying such knowledge was a violation of the assurance of the secrecy of a vote under the Election Offences Act 1954.

“How a person voted is a secret and any violation of the secrecy of a person’s vote is an offence under Section 5 of the Election Offences Act 1954,” Ong said in a statement.

“Does this also mean that he is able to determine how a person has voted? Did he request the Election Commission to supply him with his information? And is he using this ‘knowledge’ as a threat against Rela members who may not vote for the Barisan Nasional candidate?” he added.

Ong urged the AG to also investigate Ahmad Zahid for bribery over his reported promise to buy new uniforms for Rela members in Teluk Intan if BN’s candidate for the May 31st by-election and Gerakan president, Datuk Mah Siew Keong, wins.

“The failure of the Attorney-General to act quickly and decisively in response to the remarks of Zahid Hamidi will only further increase the public perception that the office of the Attorney-General only acts when it is in the interest of the BN government,” Ong said.

Yesterday, Ahmad Zahid was reported to have warned Rela troopers to come out in force and help secure BN’s victory when voters cast their ballots in the Teluk Intan by-election on May 31.

Ahmad Zahid, an Umno vice-president, stressed that he had “checked one by one; I know who didn’t go out to vote,” when addressing members of the volunteer corp at an event in the Perak constituency.

Although balloting is meant to be secret, the minister claimed that 2,019 out of 8,639 eligible voters from among the Rela corp in Teluk Intan did not cast their vote in the May 5 general election last year.

“Don’t be afraid; those people are not at our function here. I’m confident that this time, they will go out to vote and they must support the BN candidate, okay?” said Ahmad Zahid.

He also pledged to buy new uniforms for Rela members - who act as home guards - on the condition that Mah wins the by-election.

Gerakan president Mah, 53, will face DAP’s Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud, 26, in a straight fight for the Teluk Intan federal seat in Perak on May 31.

The Chinese comprise the largest group of voters in Teluk Intan at 42 per cent of the electorate. The Malays form 38 per cent, and the Indians 19 per cent of the 60,349-strong electorate.