KOROR, Palau — The Senate of the 12th Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK) has dismissed a widely circulated document on social media as false, emphasizing that no official records exist of how individual senators voted on presidential nominees.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the Senate clarified that the document, which appears to be a vote tally sheet listing how each senator purportedly voted on ministerial and ambassadorial appointments, is not legitimate. The Senate reiterated that under its rules and procedures, votes on presidential appointments are conducted via secret ballot, ensuring anonymity.
“Each senator casts their vote on a piece of paper, and neither the Clerk of the Senate nor any presiding officer knows how an individual senator voted,” the statement read.
The disputed document, resembling a spreadsheet, lists the alleged votes of all 15 senators on various nominees. For example, it claims that Senators Mark Rudimch and Siegfried Nakamura voted against ambassador nominee Hersey Kyota, who received 13 “yes” votes and two “no” votes. Similarly, it suggests that six senators, including Senate President Hokkons Baules and Senators Kerai Mariur, Mark Rudimch, Andrew Tabelual, Siegfried Nakamura, and Brian Melairei, voted against minister nominee Charles Obichang, who received nine “yes” votes and six “no” votes.
The Senate strongly refuted the document’s accuracy, warning that it does not reflect senators’ actual votes and should not be taken as credible information.
This document may be someone’s speculation or an attempt to influence the Senate’s decision-making process, but it is not an official record.
The Senate urged the public to rely on official announcements for accurate information and to be cautious of misinformation spreading online.