Lack of polls workers for Batu Sapi vote due to virus fears

SANDAKAN – The Batu Sapi vote now faces a lack of election workers on polling day due to Covid-19 fears, said Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

The senior minister said of the 10 polling centres in the constituency, only one has a full list of personnel who will be on duty on December 5.

“The rest do not dare (go to Batu Sapi). Who would dare to go when Sandakan is now ‘deep red’? No one dares,” he told the Agenda Awani programme yesterday.

He said there is also the problem of a lack of locations to be used as polling centres, as schools are reluctant to allow the Election Commission (EC) to use their facilities.

“They are worried for when students return to school after the by-election is over. Yes, there will be disinfection carried out after (the vote), but they are still worried.

“Now, we have (a lack of) personnel on duty, no schools that we can use. Those who are positive for Covid-19 will not be allowed to vote, but the rest may be afraid to vote, too.

“We will leave it to the EC because we know they are an independent body that is not under the government. However, we ask for strict SOPs to be put in place during the campaign period.”

He hinted that even if strict rules are announced, they may not serve their purpose if people do not follow them.

“We had SOPs for the Sabah election (in September). Two could go inside a house during door-to-door campaigning, but how many went in? The campaign team filled up the house instead.

“Politicians, they want to win, and they will do anything to win. So, SOPs were not adhered to during the campaign period. There were mass gatherings, no social distancing. The Sabah election taught us that something has to be done.”

On October 13, the EC announced that nomination for the Batu Sapi by-election will be on November 23, and early voting, on December 1.

Sabah is under the conditional movement control order, which comes with an interdistrict travel ban, until December 6, a day after polling day in Batu Sapi.

The constituency is located in Sandakan district, which has only one hospital that was, as of yesterday, treating 1,545 Covid-19 patients.

Since last month, Batu Sapi has recorded four clusters – Ramai-Ramai (311 cases), Karamunting (67), Bonggaya (48) and Istimewa (21).

All eyes are on Bersatu and Parti Warisan Sabah, which have kept tight-lipped on the by-election even as Umno and other parties said they are sitting out the vote. – The Vibes, November 16, 2020