Our Election Commission (EC) should look into new standard operating procedures and guidelines

It is my opinion for the election commission (EC) should look into new standard operating procedures (SOPs) and guidelines when conducting the state election here so that there will not be a repeat of an outbreak like that of the recent Sabah state elections. As there is there is no upcoming elections, I think the EC should be more proactive in looking for ways to hold elections, in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Personally, since there is no election, they should also look into postal voting. If US, New Zealand can do it, we should look into it too. If we look at the we do banking right now we can have faith in telebanking, everything is safe, why can’t EC look into something like this. We are getting more advanced, it can’t be we don’t trust our system, until now want to show our inked fingers? Only in India they do that because India have billions of people.

I spoke on these when our media friends asked me on when the state election could be held, after which our Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg had given some indication that it will depend a little on how the Covid-19 situation in the state progresses, and will find somewhere to slot it in between now and June next year. It might not be when CM initially had planned it. He wanted it much earlier this year. And with the recent spike in Covid-19 cases, we still have time (to hold it). And if  the EC is able or not to conduct election properly with new SOPs, new guidelines, they did not do this in Sabah, unfortunately. They should be more stringent and must be proactive.”

Every month next year will have its own holiday. In February, there’s the Lunar Chinese New Year, March there’s school exam, April there’s the fasting month, and in May we have Hari Raya Aidilfitri, while in June there’s Gawai. We will find a slot somewhere between Nov to June next year.