Tuesday, September 24, 2019

By-Elections Tanjung Piai - Campaign Period - Will it be 14 days or less, or will it be FAIR - at least 30 days?

FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS IN MALAYSIA - Will the new Government and the Election Commission ensure that this will happen in the upcoming by-elections for Tanjung Piai parliamentary seat, following the death of its MP on 21/9/2019.

Campaign Period - 'fair' time for ALL candidates to tell voters why they should be voted in...

To be FAIR, the campaign period must be much longer than about 12 days...

Time will be needed for the Candidates to introduce themselves and inform constituents 'why they should vote for him/her and not some other as the new MP of the area?' - This is important more for candidates who come from parties now not being the government of the State/Malaysia and the independent candidates... [After all, the government since they have been formed have been communicating with the people ...so the people know the views of the government]. To be FAIR, other candidates also need the TIME to do this...

In fact, all candidates need time to let the constituents know who they are and why the deserve to be voted for

A fair campaign period should be at least ONE MONTH.. 

Campaign Period - Time for overseas voters to VOTE..

In the last GE, we know that many voters who were overseas needed time and opportunity to vote...there were many complaints that ballot papers reached them late ...so even if they voted and posted it back...time needed.

Only after Nomination Day, will we know who the candidates are? Then the printing of the ballot papers take time...then the ballot papers need to be posted to eligible voters overseas...time for the mail to arrive(noting that not all are in the Capital of these countries)...After receiving the ballot paper, then there is time for the posted back ballot papers to arrive...[Note in some countries, there may be no Malaysian embassy or consulate, and in many countries the embassy/consulate is located very far from where voters may be working or studying...A person in Kota Bharu will take time for his ballot paper to arrive at KL...same same..

To be FAIR, every voter's right to vote must be respected...solution a longer 'campaign period'...and again, I say not less than thirty(30) days.

Use of Government Resources/machinery.. 

Both the State and the Federal Government are under Pakatan Harapan... So after the death of the MP, has there been 'extra' activity - more funds, contracts ...promised projects...visits by Ministers, etc ..

All this is very unfair - is it also not abusing government power/funds...

What is the Election Commission going to do about this? Ignore it...if the alleged wrongdoer is in government? 



Election Commission 

In October 2018, then newly-minted Election Commission chairman Azhar Azizan Harun said that Election Commission did not have the power to investigate or prosecute Election offences committed by persons and/or parties - BUT sadly one year later, the law is not even being amended to clearly give the Election Commission this much needed power...WHY? 

Is Pakatan Harapan not interested in Free and Fair Elections? 

Did the EC even submit a DRAFT of what it wants to include in this new law?

BUT remember that the EC Chairman said this -  "Azhar said the EC, however, had set up a special election campaign enforcement team to monitor the campaigns conducted during the Port Dickson by-election as well as the Balakong and Seri Setia polls in September and the Sungai Kandis by-election in August. “If the team comes across any misconduct, we will not hesitate to report it to the relevant investigative bodies.”

Alas, at the end the Election Commission did not even submit a REPORT - how many reports made to 'relevant investigative bodies'....and what has happened since then? 

Election Commission is supposed to be independent - and it can always do the needful to ensure a FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS....and this includes coming out with a REPORT ...which tells us all also how many complaints/reports lodged, outcome of the investigations, number of prosecutions and/or convictions...and the Election Commission can also make RECOMMENDATIONS on how to make our Elections more FREE and FAIR...including also suggestions on how laws need to be amended or new laws made - which gives the EC(or some independent body) who will investigate and charge those who broke the law..

In many Elections, one major problem is 'phantom voters' - 2 people turn up with the same name and NRIC > No known person convicted yet? (as far as media reports are concerned) ...Maybe the photos of all voters together with the NRIC need to be photographed just before the enter to cast their vote...maybe even their 'fingerprints' be taken to help in the identification?

ANYWAY, first things first...increase the Campaign Period to be fair for all candidates ...let us see this time...will it still be the same 2 weeks and less...? Or will it be fairer...like one(1) month campaign period...



 

 
See earlier relevant posts:-

 Newly-minted Election Commission chairman Azhar Azizan Harun today lamented the commission’s lack of powers to act against any candidate who violates election laws.

Under the existing legislative framework, the EC, he said, could not investigate or penalise an individual or party should they breach laws stipulated under the Election Offences Act 1954.

“The power to probe any allegations of any offence lies with other investigative bodies, such as the police, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC),” he said in a statement.

Azhar said the EC, however, had set up a special election campaign enforcement team to monitor the campaigns conducted during the Port Dickson by-election as well as the Balakong and Seri Setia polls in September and the Sungai Kandis by-election in August.
“If the team comes across any misconduct, we will not hesitate to report it to the relevant investigative bodies.” -EC Azhar Azizan Harun 'tiup wisel' NOW jika ada salahlaku PRK PD? Anwar ingkar undang-undang? Had belanja RM200,000?



 

 

 
at 20:13

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