GEORGE TOWN – A total of 4,470 police personnel in Penang will be on duty to maintain public safety and protect the voting process at 331 polling centres, with 2,134 voting streams in the state in the 15th general election (GE15) this Saturday.
Penang police chief Datuk Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain assured that his entire team is prepared to ensure the voting process will go smoothly.
“All police personnel are ready for their assignments, including keeping traffic running smoothly. We expect people to return to their hometowns tonight as tomorrow is a public holiday in conjunction with GE15.
“I would like to remind all parties, especially party supporters, not to spark provocations on polling day and after the election results are obtained. They are also not allowed to celebrate by marching to the extent of disrupting traffic. This is to ensure there are no untoward incidents,” he said at a press conference here today.
Meanwhile, Shuhaily said police only received 34 reports during the GE15 campaign, compared with 301 reports made in GE14, with only 12 investigation papers opened compared with 27 in GE14.
Shuhaily said only one police inquiry paper was opened, compared with 37 in GE14, with only four parties charged compared with two in the last election.
“We do not rule out the possibility that the number of police reports and IPs has decreased for GE15 compared with GE14 due to the weather, and since no state election is being held in Penang,” he said.
He said that until now, a total of 1,253 ceramah applications had been approved and 456 permits had been issued.
Meanwhile, he said police together with government agencies such as the Penang Education Department, Social Welfare Department, and the state government have identified alternative temporary evacuation centres on standby for voting day.
“All agencies including police are ready in the event of floods this Saturday. Polling centres previously used as relief centres will remain as polling centres, while flood evacuees, if any, will be moved to alternative centres in the affected areas,” he said.
Previously, the Malaysian Meteorological Department forecast thunderstorms, heavy rain, and strong winds in several areas across the country from November 13 until polling day on November 19. – Bernama, November 17, 2022
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