KUALA KRAI: Barisan Nasional (BN) today (14 July) called on the Election Commission (EC) to tighten the monitoring and supervision of elections, especially at polling stations to prevent untoward incident.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who is BN deputy chairman said although the EC had decided that there would be no more "pondok panas" (electoral booths) and gathering of party supporters at polling stations, the enforcement and supervision were still lacking.

He was commenting on the stone-throwing incident at the Sekolah Kebangsaan Peria polling station around noon today in which two Puteri UMNO members were injured.

Police have arrested a PAS supporter in connection with the incident.

Muhyiddin told a news conference at the police operations centre in Laloh near here that police could provide security but in terms of election rules and regulations, it was the EC which should enforce them.

The EC should act firmly when there were incidents of provocation and took preventive measures to calm the situation with the help of the police, he said.

"We hope the EC will look into this in the next election," he said.

Muhyiddin said party supporters should not be allowed to gather in front of polling stations as it could create tension among them.

He also said that the commotion at the Sekolah Kebangsaan Peria polling station was caused by PAS supporters from outside the constituency and not by the locals.

"I was told that the local PAS supporters will not do that. These outsiders did not know the local culture... that although we are from different parties, the relations among UMNO and PAS members are cordial.

"Problems arise when outsiders don't understand the local culture... it is a shame that they claim to be members of a party which uphold Islam but their act is far from being Islamic. They say nasty things even as they recite the selawat," he said.

He added that BN supporters would never resort to such act.

Muhyiddin, who is UMNO deputy president, said it was incumbent upon PAS to advise its members not to act contrary to the custom and culture as well as Islamic teaching.

Meanwhile, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan told reporters that police had no power to take action against party supporters uttering provocative remarks if EC officers did not request them to do so.

Musa said that among the reasons for the provocation was the presence of candidate representatives at the polling stream checking.

"While doing the checking they will also canvass for votes. Others will also join them and this could give rise to provocation," he said.

He added that he informed the EC to ask party supporters to leave the checking area because it would be difficult for police to control the situation when people were crowding the place.

He said a report would be submitted to the EC over the incident. (Bernama)