Voting

Something which I experienced for the 1st time in my life.

I came to the conclusion that voting is not as secret as it can be. Who or whom an elector vote for can be found out given the right resources.

Extracted is the Parlimentary Election Act Section 42 with my comments in RED.

The definition of Secret:
Something kept hidden from others or known only to oneself or to a few.

PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS ACT

(CHAPTER 218)

Manner of voting
42. —(1) Each voter entitled to vote shall be given one ballot paper and shall have one vote. (1A) Each voter entitled to vote in any group representation constituency shall have one vote and may vote for any one group of candidates in the manner prescribed by this section.

[10/88]

(2) The ballot paper shall be delivered to the voter by the presiding officer or a person acting under his authority. (2A) Immediately before the ballot paper is delivered to the voter —

(a) the paper shall, unless it already bears the complete official mark for the authentication of ballot papers, be affixed, stamped or marked (by writing or otherwise) by the presiding officer in the approved manner with that official mark or the remaining part thereof, or initialled by the presiding officer;

(b) the number, name and description of the voter, as stated in the copy of the register of electors, shall be called out;

(c) the number of the elector shall be marked on the counterfoil; and (The ballot paper has a serial number and the conterfoil has the same serial number. The elector number is marked on the counterfoil. Thus if one got hold of the conterfoil, the ballot paper and the list of elector, one will have the ability to find out who vote for who. These 3 items are held by the Election Office in Prinsep. And only the authorized person can access it.)

(d) a mark shall be placed in the register against the number of the elector to denote that he has received a ballot paper but without showing the particular ballot paper which he has received.

[18/99]

(3) The voter, on receiving the ballot paper, shall forthwith proceed to such place in the station as may be indicated by the presiding officer or by any person acting under that officer"s authority, and shall there secretly mark the paper as near as may be in accordance with the directions given for the guidance of voters under this Act. (3A) The voter shall then fold the paper so as to conceal his vote, and shall put the paper so folded up into the ballot box. (3B) The voter shall vote without undue delay and shall leave the polling station as soon as he has put his ballot paper into the ballot box. (4) The presiding officer or any person authorised by him may ask any voter if the voter understands the method of voting in accordance with this Act and may, if he thinks fit, on the application of any voter, explain to the voter, in the presence of the polling agents of the candidates if present, the method of voting in accordance with this Act; but in so doing he shall carefully abstain from any action which might be construed by the voter as advice or a direction to vote for any particular candidate or group of candidates.

[10/88]

(5) The presiding officer, on the application of a voter who is incapacitated by blindness or other physical cause from voting in the manner prescribed by this Act, shall mark the ballot paper of the voter in the manner directed by the voter, and shall cause the ballot paper to be placed in the ballot box. (6) The presiding officer may at any time while a poll is proceeding take such steps as may be necessary to ensure that no voter delays unduly in any place reserved for the marking of ballot papers. (7) During the taking of the poll, the presiding officer shall cause to be exhibited outside his polling station a notice in English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil, substantially in the form set out in the Second Schedule, giving directions for the guidance of voters in voting.