MIRI – The Election Commission (EC) must consult all political parties before drawing up new measures for the upcoming Sarawak elections, said PKR.
Sarawak PKR vice-chairman Roland Engan said the EC’s standard operating procedures (SOPs) and guidelines for the state polls, which has to be held by August 7, have to be endorsed by every political party, not just those that make up the incumbent government.
“The 12th Sarawak polls are just around the corner, but the EC has not consulted us opposition parties on any new SOPs being planned.
“While we in Sarawak PKR welcome the intention by the EC to have in place stricter measures to ensure voters’ health and safety, we must be consulted first.
“We do not want a situation whereby the new SOPs or guidelines are unfair to any party,” he said in a press statement yesterday.
EC chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh had reportedly said the Sarawak polls can be held anytime, despite the Covid-19 recovery movement control order being extended to end of March.
He said this can be done with new SOPs and guidelines that will take into account the present virus threats.
But the EC must also take into account facts such as the movement of voters on polling day, Roland said, as there are many rural voters working in cities and towns in the state, as well as the peninsula.
“Any new EC SOPs must not pose barriers that can prevent them from coming back to their polling stations throughout Sarawak to cast their votes.”
Roland, a lawyer, is also Baram PKR divisional chief and a potential candidate for the Mulu state seat. – The Vibes, January 8, 2021
