An election campaign monitoring team is to be set up in each parliamentary constituency during the next general election to ensure a smooth polls, Election Commission deputy chairperson Wan Ahmad Wan Omar said today.

He said the team, comprising personnel from the EC, police and local government and representatives of candidates, would ensure that the election campaign adheres strictly to regulations.

“One team will be set up in each parliamentary constituency. For large constituencies, we may even have more than one team,” he told reporters after a briefing on the team to political parties in Pahang in Kuantan.

Wan Ahmad said the team would be empowered to remove posters and banners which contain words or pictures of a libellous or embarrassing nature.

The team would also monitor ‘ ceramah ’ (talks) and other campaign activities to ensure that the polls were not marred by undesirable incidents, he added.

On the gathering planned by a non-governmental organisation backed by the opposition at Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, Wan Ahmad said the so-called peaceful demonstration seeking electoral reform reflected immaturity on the part of the organiser.  

He said the EC had instituted various changes to ensure greater transparency in the country’s electoral process.

Seven of the eight demands of the NGO had been implemented by the EC through the recommendations of the parliamentary select committee on electoral reform, he said.

“Why is it necessary to demonstrate again?” he asked.

On calls for members of the EC to resign, Wan Ahmad said this showed disrespect for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Conference of Rulers as they were appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong with the consent of the rulers.

On the next general election, Wan Ahmad said the EC was expected to spend more than RM300 million to hold the polls.

“The cost may go up, perhaps by another RM100 million, if certain states choose to hold separate state elections,” he said.

He also said that 2.3 million new voters would be eligible to vote if the general election was held in June. The new rolls will be put on display for 14 days from May 2 prior to gazetting.

- Bernama