Within a year, 300% increase in new voters

(Harakah Daily) - Even as the controversy surrounding various revelations about electoral fraud continues, minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz dropped a shocking figure of newly registered voters, showing a three-fold increase in 2010 compared to 2009.

In his parliamentary reply to Bukit Bendera member of parliament Liew Chin Tong, Nazri revealed that a total of 820,156 people had been registered as voters in 2010 compared to 276,621 in 2009.

According to Nazri, the sharp increase was not surprising and attributed it to rising political awareness among Malaysians.

He said it was usual to see low number of registration after a general election, adding that the number of new voters would gather pace "when the election is around the corner".

Nazri added that a total of RM500,000 was allocated for new voter registration exercise.