TELUK INTAN, May 28 — Polls watchdog Bersih 2.0 accused today the Election Commission (EC) of having abetted Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who allegedly violated the electoral code over the home minister’s remarks concerning the secrecy of a ballot in the heated Teluk Intan campaign.

According to the group, the EC had aided the Barisan Nasional (BN) lawmaker in intimidating voters to cast their support for the coalition in the upcoming by-election.

“The monitoring and enforcement authorities, being well under the ruling party’s control, are not heeding the call of the people to do their duty,” Datuk Dr Toh Kin Woon, the group’s North Peninsula vice-chairman, told  reporters here.

“The greatest culprit of them all, the EC, has so far reduced its role to a mere spectator when such crimes are committed in broad daylight,” Toh added.

In the run-up to the May 31 by-election, Zahid, who is also an Umno vice-president, had last week claimed to know the identities of Rela officers in Teluk Intan who failed to cast their ballots in last year’s general election.

According to Bersih, the Bagan Datoh MP had committed an offence under Section 5 of the Election Offences Act 1954, which governs the secrecy of votes.

“It is tantamount to an intimidation of voters. Civil servants should be very worried of this admission by Zahid because it means they are deprived of the right to vote the candidate of their choice,” said Toh.

“Further, Zahid’s admission that he has verified the names against the Election Commission’s (EC) electoral roll points to a concerted joint effort between its staff and the EC to track Rela personnel.”

Bersih also chided EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof for defending Zahid.

Abdu; Aziz was criticised for saying the minister’s remark was only an “advice” to encourage officers to vote.

“They’d be partners in crime… If his remarks were true, it is an offence punishable by up to one year jail and RM3,000 fine or both. That is enough to hold another by-election in Bagan Datoh,” said Wong Chin Huat, a former steering committee member who was also at the same news conference.

The group added that Zahid and other ministers have also committed offences under Sections 8, 9, and 10, which prohibit treating, undue influence, and bribery in the campaign.

Zahid had reportedly offered free uniform for Rela member if they voted BN, while Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek offered faster Internet connection.

In addition, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin laid the foundation stone for a highway which was already budgeted for in 2011, while Datuk Shahrizat Abdul Jalil distributed aides to poor families under the National Welfare Foundation.

Gerakan president Datuk Mah Siew Keong, 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.