Take foto, prove I vote 4 u, get money - rationale behind smartphone ban?

Sadly, many Malaysians still sell their vote for a few ringgit...RM50, RM200...and prove you voted for me before getting paid - show me the photo proof...

Some are 'PRESSURED" or 'THREATENED" to vote for certain persons/parties --- again, today a photographic proof is required..

Well, with the banning of the handphone at polling centres - the VOTER gets more freedom to vote for his/her real choice during GE15 > but for some, they will still be moved by 'little money' now, and threats...

Downside - will it impede collection of evidence of other electoral wrongdoings - the phantom voter, a voter pretending to be another, etc..

Handphone ban in polling

Thanks to Star

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Updated 1 day ago · Published on 9 Nov 2022 8:47PM · n Commission new ruling states voters need to turn over their mobilephones over to the presiding officer before going into the polling centre to cast their vote. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, November 9, 2022.

VOTERS will be asked to hand over their handphones to the presiding officer when they go into the polling centre to cast their vote.

This is according to the Election Commission’s (EC) infographic uploaded on its Facebook earlier today.

This appears to be a new step introduced by the EC for this general election. Previously voters were free to carry their handphones in person while voting.

In the infographic, the EC listed down 10 steps to observe on polling day on Nov 19.

While all the other steps are the same as in previous years - enter only when you are allowed, hand over the MyKad for verification, get your finger inked from the polling clerk and get the ballot paper.

After this, a new step is introduced, asking the voters to head to the presiding officer’s desk to surrender their mobile phone before heading to the ballot box to cast their votes.

Once they have completed the voting process, they are required to walk back to the presiding officer’s desk to collect their phones before immediately leaving the polling centre.

While the EC did not explain the rationale for the handphone ban, previously former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had called on the ban of mobile phones inside polling centres.

He said allowing handphones into the balloting booth could encourage corruption.

“Mobile phones can nullify the secrecy of a voter’s ballot. Parties can use this for bribery.”

“Voters can show through the mobile phone what party they have voted for, and the party can pay them (for voting),” Dr Mahathir had said.

Malaysiakini reported that polls watchdog Bersih chairperson Thomas Fann welcomed the move.

“We are glad that the EC has taken this action to ban the usage of mobile phones when voting, as those who are ‘buying’ votes require those who are ‘selling’ their votes to take a snap of their ballots after they have marked it as proof.

“Besides, it is an offence under Section 3 of the Election Offences Act to show your marked ballot since voting is secret. You can be jailed for up to two years or fined up to RM5,000 or both,” Fann was quoted as saying in Malaysiakini. – November 9, 2022, Malaysian Insight