Election training is routine, not indication of imminent GE15 polls - Azmi Sharom
Acting Election Commission (EC) chairperson Azmi Sharom has dismissed claims that documents being circulated asking school staff and election officials to ready themselves for the next general election means that the 15th general election (GE15) is due to be called soon.
"It's standard practice for the EC to ensure there are enough personnel to act as election officials should the need arise.
Acting Election Commission (EC) chairperson Azmi Sharom has dismissed claims that documents being circulated asking school staff and election officials to ready themselves for the next general election means that the 15th general election (GE15) is due to be called soon.
"It's standard practice for the EC to ensure there are enough personnel to act as election officials should the need arise.
"It is also standard for there to be the training of potential election officials, and the EC has to be prepared for any eventuality," he told Malaysiakini.
Azmi, who is temporarily helming the EC following the resignation of Azhar Harun who subsequently took over as the Parliament speaker, was responding to two separate documents.
The first was purportedly by the Perak Education Department asking headmasters to make preparations for GE15 and prepare their staff for readiness at polling centres in the Taiping parliamentary constituencies, including the state seats of Kamunting, Pokok Assam and Aulong. The letter was dated August 6.
The second letter was dated July 23 and issued by the Selangor EC's office calling for a briefing of returning officers to be held on August 11 and 12 in which the standard operating procedures for GE15 would be discussed.
He said that while such training and election readiness was common, it did not mean that an actual election was forthcoming.
"With regard to an actual election, the EC can only act when informed of a vacancy of seats or the dissolution of a legislative assembly," said Azmi.
Another EC source who declined to be named also said that this was standard practice and should not be taken as an indication that an election was in the offing.
"This is just an EC preparation to face the snap election. We do not know if there is going to be any so we prepare for it just in case."
"The training of election workers is done nationwide, and we do it in stages, state by state," said the source, who added that the training would take a few months as the whole country had to be covered.
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