80 EC teams to keep tabs on campaigning

(Bernama) – KUCHING: The Election Commission (EC) has formed 80 enforcement teams to monitor campaigning in the Sarawak state election to ensure it goes smoothly.

EC chairman Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said the teams would coordinate activities related to campaigning and conduct patrols to monitor campaigning by the candidates.

“These teams will tear down campaigning material found unsuitable. They can also stop speeches or rallies that do not have permits or are in violation of the terms of permits,” he told reporters at the Kuching South nomination centre here today.

He said although the election only involved 71 constituencies, the EC felt 80 teams were more appropriate as some of the constituences needed two teams for monitoring.

During campaigning, he said, only posters and banners of the contesting parties would be allowed to be put up and those not in the fray would be torn down.

“Posters with ulterior motives will also be torn down,” he said.

Abdul Aziz said the EC was also providing ballot boxes equipped with floating buoys where needed so that they do not sink in case of mishaps while being transported by river to tallying centres.

“We have tested ballot boxes of these types. We are doing this because accusations were levelled at us that we dumped ballot boxes into the river during the Batang Ai by-election.

“These ballot boxes are luminous and each has its own hologram seal to prevent any tampering,” he said.

Canvassing booths

On postal voters, Abdul Aziz said they numbered 18,363 comprising 11,738 soldiers, 6,591 police personnel and 34 who are overseas, and that the number would increase when EC staffers were included.

“The dates for postal voting have not been fixed yet. Normally postal voting is done two to three day before polling day (April 16). The ballot papers can only be printed four days after nomination day (April 6),” he said.

He said all results could be expected to be announced not later than 11pm on polling day barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Canvassing booths would not be allowed to be set up near polling stations and any found, would be demolished, he said, adding that 89 polling centres had also been moved to better venues for the comfort of voters.

Abdul Aziz said the EC had set aside a budget of RM50 million for the Sarawak election this time around compared with RM32 million previously.

There are 979,796 registered voters in Sarawak with Melayu/Melanau making up 27.5%, Chinese (31.51%), Iban (28.93%), Bidayuh (8.13%), Orang Ulu (3.67%) and others (0.26%).

Women make up 50.6% of the registered voters. Pending has the highest number of voters at 29,488 and Ba’kelalan the lowest (5,959 voters).

– Bernama