THE Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0) is dismayed that the proclamation of emergency for Sarawak was lifted yesterday, paving the way for the Sarawak election within 60 days, since the term of this state assembly has already expired on June 7, 2021.
With Undi18 and automatic voters registration scheduled for implementation at the end of this year, there will be insufficient time for an estimated 666,000 Sarawakians who would otherwise be eligible to vote for the first time, many of whom are young voters.
Even though the expiry of the Sarawak emergency is not due until February 2, 2022, it would be reasonable to assume that the lifting of the emergency by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong after consultation with the governor of Sarawak to trigger the election is a politically calculation to disenfranchised young voters.
Such calculated moves to try and gain political advantage could backfire on Gabungan Parti Sarawak, and state and federal governments when they have to face the same young voters in less than two years in the 15th General Election for federal seats.
We call on the Election Commission (EC) to allow Sarawakians living in Peninsular Malaysia to vote without having to fly back to their constituencies. This can be done by categorising them as absentee voters, allowing them to vote in advance at mass voting centres, at least one in each state in the peninsula.
We also urge the Health Ministry to work with the EC to facilitate safe voting and campaigning, instead of taking the draconian measures of banning all physical election-related activities, as what is being done for Melaka.
The EC must proactively facilitate alternative safe ways of election campaigning for all candidates and political parties, such as getting all state owned media, like Radio Television Malaysia and Bernama, among others, to provide equal air time to all candidates and political parties to advertise their political campaigns on radio and television, and hold debate of chief minister candidates while ensuring fair news coverage for all candidates and political parties. This is extremely important especially in the interior areas of Sarawak where radio and television are the main source of information for the rakyat.
Bersih 2.0 is a non-governmental coalition campaigning for free and fair elections in Malaysia
