Health Ministry's election wishlist: No travels, rallies or walkabouts
COVID-19 | As the country is facing political uncertainty, many fear that snap polls may happen when Malaysia is still struggling with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had announced today that there were 799 new positive cases recorded nationwide in the past 24 hours alone...
COVID-19 | As the country is facing political uncertainty, many fear that snap polls may happen when Malaysia is still struggling with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had announced today that there were 799 new positive cases recorded nationwide in the past 24 hours alone.
The majority of cases were reported in Sabah, which last month held a snap state election after a failed political coup against the then Warisan-state government. Sabah also recorded three more deaths.
Posed with a question on a looming general election, Noor Hisham told reporters that they have no power to stop an election from taking place during an outbreak.
However, the general in Malaysia's war against Covid-19 said that they are hoping to apply a set of rules should it happen.
"The Health Ministry takes note of the need to hold an election according to the law. However, it is a worry if it is held at this point in time. The ministry suggests that, if we have no other choice than to hold a general election, we should apply three principles.
"There should be no cross-district travelling, no mass gathering for election campaigns, and no walkabouts or house-to-house visits allowed.
"These are the principles which we believe can decrease the spread of the virus in the community," he said during his Covid-19 presser in Putrajaya.
Following the Sabah state election which saw a two-week campaign period before polling day on Sept 26, the country saw a sudden spike in the number of daily cases.
While Sabah was the worst hit by the pandemic, other states and federal territories had also recorded a spike in positive cases linked to those who have a history of travelling to the Borneo state.
Noor Hisham was asked whether the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988, otherwise known as Act 342, can be used to enforce the three principles during an election.
On this, he said that they are proposing to have the law amended to suit current times.
"This Act was drafted (in 1988), when it was not expected that it would be used for a pandemic.
"There is a need to look into amending the law. Whether it can have more power in the Constitution when it comes to an election, we will have to refer to the attorney-general (on this matter)," he added.
According to Noor Hisham, the ministry had already provided standard operating procedures (SOP) to be used in elections during the Covid-19 pandemic.
While the guidelines had been working for previous by-elections in Chini, Pahang and Slim in Perak, it was not adhered to in Sabah.
"The issue was with non-compliance of SOP during the state election.
"For example, there were mass gatherings, house-to-house visits, walkabouts and such.
"So the best would be to postpone an election (during an outbreak). But we at the Health Ministry do not have that power," he said.
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