Ex-deputy chair: Rain or shine, EC workers prepared

Conducting an election during the flood season is not an issue for the Election Commission (EC) as its workers are trained to handle adverse weather conditions.

So said former EC deputy chairperson Wan Ahmad Wan Omar, when asked about criticisms against holding the upcoming 15th general election (GE15) during the monsoon season.

“Never have schools that are used as polling centres gone underwater, or elections stopped due to the rainy season.

“Now the election has been called to choose a new government amid the economic issues faced by the country,” he was quoted telling a live interview session with Umno Online last night.

According to Wan Ahmad (above), parties that are opposing the election being held this year could be using the flood as an excuse.

“Political parties could oppose it, maybe because they are not yet ready, they want more time to campaign, and the ‘flood’ excuse is the most convenient.

“Talking from experience, the EC would have studied the location of schools (to be used as polling centres) and paid utmost attention to the weather factor,” he reportedly said.

EC prepared

Wan Ahmad stressed that the EC is prepared to carry out its duty, as it has previously conducted 14 general elections across various weather patterns.

“If the weather is the concern, then it is misplaced as the EC has given sufficient training to its workers, right from the nomination to the polling stage.

“The training includes scenarios of polling centres being inundated during the polling process, fights or riots breaking out during voting, or a blackout.

“There is a set of standard operating procedures that all EC workers have to abide by,” he noted.

Wan Ahmad stressed that the EC shoulders a great responsibility of keeping the public informed of election results.

“Elections cannot fail, if it does... the rakyat will not know the outcome (of their voting).

“When the election results are not announced, and the rakyat is uncertain on what government (they are getting); the EC will not take such a huge responsibility lightly.”

For the record, the EC is expected to meet at its headquarters in Putrajaya on Oct 20 to decide on key dates for GE15.

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