Election workers urged to get ready

SIBU: Returning officers (ROs) and assistant returning officers (AROs) in the state were told to be prepared because the general election would be called at anytime.

Election Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said the coming election would likely see keen contests, especially in Sarawak. “That is why I want them to be prepared, read the election laws and know the subject matter well so they can face any situation with confidence,” he said after briefing 79 ROs and AROs here yesterday.

He said that every political party had its own supporters who could come from anywhere, including Peninsular Malaysians whom he described as relatively more aggressive.

The ruling parties, he said, would try their best to make sure their seats remain with them while the opposition would go all out to win as many seats as it possibly could. The situations could be very taxing for ROs and AROs to handle, he said.On another subject, Abdul Aziz said that some RM80 million would be needed to run the election in Sarawak alone, for chartering 4,000 4WD vehicles, 1,000 boats and 27 helicopters.

"Some 21,000 workers will also be involved in the election statewide,” he added.

Abdul Aziz also advised the 407,432-odd Sarawakians eligible to vote to register themselves quickly so that they could participate in the next election.

“Sarawak has 1,024,240 registered voters. Our target is to get at least 75 per cent of them to cast their votes,” he said.Also present at the briefing was state EC director Datu Takun Sunggah.

Borneo Post 13/4/2012


No more passes for party supporters, says EC

SIBU: The Election Commission (EC) will no longer issue passes to party supporters to accompany candidates to nomination centres on nomination day.EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said this is to discourage the practice of having hundreds of supporters accompanying the nominees.

“In the past we used to issue 100 passes for supporters of each political party, provide tents and refreshments for them.

We’ve decided not to give them passes this time,” he told reporters yesterday at the 13th general election briefing for returning officers (ROs) and assistant returning officers (AROs).A total of 79 ROs and AROs from 15 parliamentary constituencies in the central region attended the two-day briefing. Abdul Aziz said there was no positive correlation between the number of supporters at the nomination centres and the winning chances of the candidates. “Political parties say that is the time to show their strength. But from our observation, it is not necessary.

“We want to avoid clashes among the supporters of the political divide, and to ensure a peaceful situation,” he explained.In January, Abdul Aziz said the EC wanted to stop the “party atmosphere” created by hundreds of supporters showing up on nomination day. He was reported then as saying that only 10 supporters and representatives would be allowed on nomination day at each nomination centre.