Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching said the EC had been “completely biased and totally unprofessional” in handling the public hearing on the matter.

After the EC rejected the objections, she said, the penalty was increased from RM100 per person to RM150 per person, which made no sense as those who were objected to had arrived using the same mode of transportation.

She added that the EC had refused to provide the report of the hearing unless the penalty was paid on the spot.

“First they asked us to pay immediately, then they said we must pay before 4pm.

“The fact is, they have no right to do so. They have no right to impose a deadline for payment, and they have no right to withhold the documents. They are not only giving special treatment to the defence ministry, they are also abusing their power,” she said in a statement.

According to Teo, the EC only gave in after she stood her ground and referred to the law on the matter.

On Oct 31, DAP had called for the EC and Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein to come clean over claims that army personnel voters were being registered to the Segamat army base although it was still under construction.

On Nov 7, Johor DAP filed 1,051 objections to the EC on the matter.

Teo said the military personnel had turned out in full force for the hearing, along with their families.

She added that they had arrived in buses, and questioned the need for this if they truly stayed in Segamat.

“Some were even carrying luggage,” she said.

She also apologised to the personnel who were made to travel to Segamat, adding that it was nothing personal.