MIRI – Sarawak Bersih expressed shock after discovering that the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) is responsible for drawing up election standard operating procedures (SOPs) to govern the upcoming 12th state election.
Sarawak Bersih chairwoman Ann Teo today said SDMC had said in a public notice that it will draw up a set of election SOPs in view of the Covid-19 situation in Sarawak.
She questioned if this should be the norm for a public election, especially in view of the possibility that those in SDMC who are part of the ruling government may be biased.
“SDMC has made known that it is drawing up the SOPs for this state election. We are very worried about what has been happening in this state election,” she said in a statement today.
“Why is the Election Commission letting SDMC, a state agency, make and craft SOPs for the state election?
“Will they (politicians in SDMC) not be in a biased position? Will they resort to crafting SOPs that are biased towards the incumbent caretaker government?”
Teo claimed the state government seems to be running the state election and dictating how the EC should function.
She called on the EC to be fair and neutral as it should be, as the election must be conducted in a manner that is just and fair in the interest of all sides.
“They cannot even manage transport issues such as making sure there are enough cheap flights,” she said, referring to reports of exorbitantly priced air tickets to Sarawak during the election period.
“Can they be fair and manage an even bigger issue like state election SOPs?”
Unless the EC ensures all contesting sides are accorded fairness, she said, the state election results will be smeared and tainted by claims of favouritism and suppression. – The Vibes, November 30, 2021
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