EC sets up enforcement teams to monitor Chini by-election campaign
CHINI POLLS | The Election Commission (EC) has set up three Election Campaign Enforcement Teams (PP-KPR) that will monitor activities during the campaign period in the Chini state by-election.
Its chairperson, Azhar Azizan Harun said the establishment of the teams involving party representatives, Royal Malaysia Police and EC was in accordance with Section 27B of the Election Offences Act 1954 and in compliance with Covid-19 prevention guidelines.
CHINI POLLS | The Election Commission (EC) has set up three Election Campaign Enforcement Teams (PP-KPR) that will monitor activities during the campaign period in the Chini state by-election.
Its chairperson, Azhar Azizan Harun said the establishment of the teams involving party representatives, Royal Malaysia Police and EC was in accordance with Section 27B of the Election Offences Act 1954 and in compliance with Covid-19 prevention guidelines.
He said the monitoring and enforcement are in effect from now until 11.59 pm on July 3.
"This is in line with the (Recovery) Movement Control Order currently in force under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342)," he told a press conference after the nomination process for the Chini state by-election at the main hall of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Training Institution in Pekan today.
He said the PP-KPR, among others, will have the power to remove campaign materials found to have negative elements or violated the provisions of the election law.
For this by-election, the EC has made improvements such as reducing the number of voters from 600 to just 400 (per channel) and informing voters to cast their ballots during the suggested voting time as stated on the voter's card to avoid congestion.
"In addition, we will ensure that social distancing is observed and the Covid-19 outbreak prevention guidelines will also be enforced at polling centres and vote-tallying centre," he said.
Commenting further, Azhar said any campaign materials that could be used such as advertisements, newsletters, stickers and posters should contain the names and addresses of the printers and their publishers except flags, party symbol posters and pictures of party leaders or candidates.
Meanwhile, he said the EC was satisfied with the nomination process today and expected to achieve about 70 percent voter turnout on July 4.
Asked on the voter’s card containing voter registration information such as polling centre, channel, number and voting time, Azhar said the EC had distributed them to all 20,990 voters in the state constituency.
He also said that the EC had appointed 32 election observers from 10 organisations involving government agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and three qualified individuals to monitor the election process.
Azhar also reminded candidates to abide by the rules and standard operating procedures during the campaign period, including obtaining a police permit for each talk.
- Bernama
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