According to a lengthy Facebook post by student Tan Kai Ren, he was summoned in by the Election Commission to attend a hearing after his home address had been called into question. Once you register as a voter, your details are displayed at the office of the SPR, under the 'Pameran Rang Daftar Pemilih Tambahan'. Here, all newly-registered voters' details are displayed in the books for people to review and object if they see something suspicious. That's where the 'Bantah' system comes in and where Kai Ren's plight begins.

Once there's an objection, the voter will have to appear before a judge who will verify your address. In Kai Ren's case, he didn't know his objector, and the objector wasn't even present before the judge.

When he tried to contact his 'Pembantah' no one picked up. In the court the judge asked him unrelated questions like "Who owns the house he's currently living in", "What course he's studying", and "How long till he graduates". The judge was satisfied that Kai Ren did in fact live where he said he did and was registered as a voter.

He was supposed to receive RM100 for the inconvenience from the 'Pembantah'. He alleges that he stayed at the SPR office for a while before an 'official' came to the SPR office with a stack of RM100 notes to give to the 'Pembantah' waiting at the SPR office. He then collected his cash from the Pembantah, and wrote his Facebook post.

If there is truly something shady going on, why cause such an inconvenience?

According to FreeMalaysiaToday.com and Cilisos.my many other voters are being objected with the reason "unknown address". Who are these objectors who seemingly object to your address at random? In all of the cases, the OKB and the Pembantah do not know each other, yet there was an objection. Why go through all the trouble and pay RM100 to the OKB (Orang Kena Bantah) who turn up?

Also, in a quote to FMT.com, Bersih 2.0 steering committee member Jay Jay Denis said that, "If their addresses are unknown, how then did the EC manage to send them letters telling them to come to its office?"

This is a weird one. Nevertheless, if you're a new voter in Malaysia, check your status. And if there's an objection, make sure you get the RM100! Maybe it's a new convoluted method for giving hand outs to the rakyat.

New Voters In Malaysia 'Kena Bantah' For No Reason?

Once there's an objection, the voter will have to appear before a judge who will verify your address. In Kai Ren's case, he didn't know his objector, and the objector wasn't even present before the judge.

If there is truly something shady going on, why cause such an inconvenience?

Also, in a quote to FMT.com, Bersih 2.0 steering committee member Jay Jay Denis said that, "If their addresses are unknown, how then did the EC manage to send them letters telling them to come to its office?"