The Election Commission (EC) said today it has lodged a police report against Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Cameron Highlands by-election candidate M. Manogaran. — Picture by Farhan Najib

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27 — The Election Commission (EC) said today it has lodged a police report against Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Cameron Highlands by-election candidate M. Manogaran.

“This follows after the candidate had entered the Sekolah Kebangsaan Senderut on polling day while wearing a shirt that has a party logo which is an offence under the Election Offences Act 1945.

“A police report was lodged by EC employees at the Sungai Koyan police station,” said the commission in a press statement.

On Saturday, Manogaran was asked to leave the polling centre following his violation.

He has since apologised for the issue however explained that he did not realise he was still wearing the party shirt, which he used to wear throughout the week campaign.

The EC had also lodged four separate police reports against marquee tents set up by political parties during polling day.

“Three police reports involving nine polling centres in the DUN Tanah Rata and one police report in DUN Jelai by Election Campaign enforcers,” it said in the statement, using the Malay initials for state assembly seat.

The EC said the matter will be further investigated by the police.

The by-election saw DAP’s Manogaran defeated by Barisan Nasional’s direct candidate, former Orang Asli police officer Ramli Mohd Nor, by a margin of over 3,000 votes or a magnitude more than the 597 votes from the 14th general election.

The Cameron Highlands poll was the first won by BN since its general election defeat and provided a glimpse into the possible political shift that could be achieved through an organised partnership with Islamist party PAS.