Well, according to the Star report, there will be no public holiday for voters to go out and vote. That is why the Election Commission need to ensure that polling days fall on weekends or holidays.
I am a bit dissapointed with Guan Eng and the Pakatan Rakyat government with this decision - as it would definitely cause problem for many workers, who may want to go out an vote (or maybe even volunteer to be polling agents...counting agents...help in the transportation and other work for their candidates...). They may also need time to get their elderly parents to the polls..
During the economic crisis, when jobs are 'shaky' , many workers just do not want to do anything that may jeopardize their continuous employment in their company. Employers may be looking to retrench 10% and many just will not go vote to show that they are dedicated employees and should not be even considered by their employers in that group that may be retrenched... That is why a public holiday would have been good at this time.
What can Guan Eng and the Penang Government do if the employers do not allow their worker/s to go out and vote? What will Guan Eng and the Penang government do if the employer sacks the worker because he absents himself/herself as he went to vote? How are you going to encourage employers? The handling of the Kg Buah Pala issue clearly shows that the Penang Government does not even have much influence with their own state workers' cooperative (the 'alleged' owners)..or the Developer. That's why the only way one could have facilitated the full exercise of people's democratic rights come election day was by the declaration of a State public holiday.
There may be (or may be not) provisions in the law for the State Government to just declare it a public holiday for the registered voters in Permatang Pasir...
Maybe, absence from work for the purposes of exercising one's right to cast a vote...or to register oneself as a voter should be clearly stated as a justified reason for being absent from work, and this is something that the employer shall not use against the employee. It should be considered as paid leave (Proposals for the future).
I am a bit dissapointed with Guan Eng and the Pakatan Rakyat government with this decision - as it would definitely cause problem for many workers, who may want to go out an vote (or maybe even volunteer to be polling agents...counting agents...help in the transportation and other work for their candidates...). They may also need time to get their elderly parents to the polls..
During the economic crisis, when jobs are 'shaky' , many workers just do not want to do anything that may jeopardize their continuous employment in their company. Employers may be looking to retrench 10% and many just will not go vote to show that they are dedicated employees and should not be even considered by their employers in that group that may be retrenched... That is why a public holiday would have been good at this time.
What can Guan Eng and the Penang Government do if the employers do not allow their worker/s to go out and vote? What will Guan Eng and the Penang government do if the employer sacks the worker because he absents himself/herself as he went to vote? How are you going to encourage employers? The handling of the Kg Buah Pala issue clearly shows that the Penang Government does not even have much influence with their own state workers' cooperative (the 'alleged' owners)..or the Developer. That's why the only way one could have facilitated the full exercise of people's democratic rights come election day was by the declaration of a State public holiday.
There may be (or may be not) provisions in the law for the State Government to just declare it a public holiday for the registered voters in Permatang Pasir...
Maybe, absence from work for the purposes of exercising one's right to cast a vote...or to register oneself as a voter should be clearly stated as a justified reason for being absent from work, and this is something that the employer shall not use against the employee. It should be considered as paid leave (Proposals for the future).
Penang has decided not to declare tomorrow as a public holiday despite the fact it is polling for the Permatang Pasir state by-election.Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng without specifying the reasons, said the state would encourage all employers to allow workers, who are registered in the Permatang Pasir constituency, to take the necessary time off to vote.
“Factory managements in the area, are also advised to change their production hours to allow their workers time to vote,” he said after accompanying Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to campaign in Kampung Paya. - Star, 24/8/2009, Tomorrow not a holiday, says Lim
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