KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 — A PKR lawmaker has urged the Election Commission (EC) to allow all political parties to register voters, claiming that Umno was given an unfair advantage through a government agency.

PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar claimed that Umno seems to have been given the authority to register voters as Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, who is also Umno vice-president, had made the announcement at the Selangor Umno building in Shah Alam that the Federal Village Development and Security (JKKKP) would register voters throughout the country.

“Giving exclusive rights to government agencies like JKKKP will raise anxiety amongst the public about the integrity and fairness of the EC,” Nurul Izzah said in a statement today.

“The announcement that was made by the Umno vice-president, along with the powers that were given to agencies acting for Umno, in the Selangor Umno building next to the Selangor Umno chairman, clearly shows the advantages given to Umno to register voters that were denied to other political parties in Malaysia,” the PKR election committee director added.

National news agency Bernama reported Shafie as announcing Saturday at the Selangor Umno building that JKKKP was appointed to register voters in Malaysia to ensure a smoother voter registration process based on the Federal Constitution.

The function was also reportedly attended by Selangor Umno chairman Datuk Seri Noh Omar.

Shafie reportedly said JKKKP was appointed to handle voter registration to prevent allegations of phantom voters that had previously marred the 13th general election in 2013.

He added that Umno was now actively registering those who were eligible to vote in the coming general election.

Nurul Izzah told EC chief Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof today to either appoint assistant registrars from political parties or to implement automatic voter registration.

“Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof’s excuse for not implementing automatic voter registration cannot be accepted as automatic voter registration can prevent the manipulation of the electoral roll that may benefit certain parties,” said Nurul Izzah, who is also Lembah Pantai MP.