KUALA LUMPUR: The Melaka state borders should be closed completely to election machineries from outside of the state in the event of a snap election is held in the state.
Former Election Commission (EC) deputy chairman Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Wan Omar said this would minimise the risk of Covid-19 spread through the period of the state election in Melaka.
Controlling the influx of outsiders, he said, was important as activities related to election campaigns had been identified as the main factor that contributed to the failure in containing the pandemic.
In addition, he said the EC should come out with a mechanism such as voter confirmation card to allow Melaka electorates residing outside the state to return home to vote.
"The confirmation card will act as proof that those residing outside of the state are Melaka constituents who are eligible to vote during the state election.
"This can be implemented since the EC has this information (registered voters in Melaka) in their electoral roll.
"The voters will only require to print their details," he told BH.
The state legislative assembly was dissolved after four assemblymen withdrew their support from the Barisan Nasional state government, leaving it without a majority in the 28-seat legislative assembly.
The assemblymen are former Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron (BN-Sungai Udang), Datuk Nor Azman Hassan (BN-Pantai Kundor), Datuk Norhizam Hassan Baktee (Independent-Pengkalan Batu) and Datuk Noor Effandi Ahmad (Bersatu-Telok Mas).
Malaysian law states that the election has to be conducted within 60 days following the dissolution of a state assembly or parliament.
Wan Ahmad said the EC must come out with a stricter Covid-19 prevention standard operating procedures (SOP), if a state election is being held, coupled with enforcement that is free from any form of "double standards".
He added that the election campaigning process should be limited to virtual through the usage of various social media platforms instead of the traditional face-to-face door-to-door campaign.
"I was made to understand that the EC has formulated a good and comprehensive SOP based on the commission's experience in handling seven by-elections including the Sabah state polls.
"If the Health Ministry can work closely with the police and the National Security Council to enforce the SOP, I do not see why the polls (in Melaka) cannot be held," he said.
He, however, hoped all parties would not repeat the mistakes which occurred during the Sabah state election which contributed to the surge in Covid-19 cases.
"We observed that many quarters did not comply with the SOP during the Sabah state election.
"In fact, people returning from Sabah to the peninsular were not instructed to undergo quarantine (throughout the incubation period of the virus)," he said.
He added that the country could no longer use Covid-19 as an excuse to avoid from organising any election or by-election.
For instance, Wan Ahmad said 50 nations around the world such as Singapore, South Korea and Japan had carried out election during the pandemic period.
The postponement of Melaka state polls, he said, would only prolong the political crisis in the state.
He said the vaccination rate in Melaka, in which, 88.6 per cent of the adult population in the state had been fully vaccinated, should also be a factor to proceed with the state election.
