KUALA LUMPUR – Amendments and improvements to the Covid-19 Prevention Guidelines for the Implementation of Elections will take into account three recommendations submitted by the Health Ministry.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Shabudin Yahaya said during a Special Chamber session in the Dewan Rakyat today that the three recommendations were bans on inter-state travel, house visits and large gatherings during campaigning.
“The Election Commission (EC) will draw up stricter and comprehensive guidelines to minimise the risk and infection of Covid-19 during the election process, including amendments to the guidelines used during the Sabah state election.”
He was responding to a question by Vivian Wong Shir Yee (PH-Sandakan) on safe election processes during the pandemic.
Taking into account the experience during the Sabah state election, the EC will provide masks at all polling stations and all election officials are required to constantly monitor compliance with the prescribed standard operating procedures, especially on physical distancing.
“Non-compliance with standard operating procedures by the those involved in the Sabah state election, especially during the campaign activities, is one of the factors that increased the number of Covid-19 cases because in the by-elections held previously, namely the Chini and Slim by-elections, there was no report of new clusters," he added.
Shabudin said the EC would continue to study and consider views from other parties to improve the implementation of the election process, with safety and health prioritised. – Bernama, December 2, 2020
