KUALA LUMPUR – Heavy criticism by opposition MPs on the Melaka election standard operating procedures (SOPs) in Parliament today has prompted Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar to assure that protocols for the upcoming Sarawak polls would be better.
The minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) said a number of factors need to be considered in the implementation of SOPs for the Sarawak election.
Firstly, Wan Junaidi said Melaka was in Phase Four of the National Recovery Plan, while Sarawak remains in Phase Three.
He added that Sarawak only has a short state border with Sabah, while Melaka could be accessed easily by any resident in Peninsular Malaysia.
“Thus, planning SOPs for the Sarawak election will take into account feedback from the recent Melaka polls and it will be announced, once finalised,” Wan Junaidi said.
He said the Election Commission (EC) in Sarawak has displayed more readiness to conduct the polls, and assured that the state’s chief of operations is well experienced.
“Sarawak (election) will be far more organised,” Wan Junaidi told the Dewan Rakyat during the committee stage debates for Budget 2022.
Earlier in Parliament, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (Port Dickson-PH) had criticised the strict SOPs for the Melaka polls.
He said the rules formed a hindrance to democracy, given that those involved in the election had few opportunities to meet with residents.
Anwar demanded consideration to revoke those rules, so that the upcoming polls would be more democratic.
Similar calls were made by Teresa Kok (Seputeh-PH), who labelled the SOPs as “irrational”.
She expressed hope that the EC would have discussions with participating parties when forming future election SOPs. – The Vibes, November 22, 2021
