12 Nov 2019

Police permit now required for door-to-door campaigning. Is the EC deliberate in troubling the Opposition?

The latest memo by the Election Commission (EC) for the Tanjung Piai by-election is a directive which states that candidates and parties who wishes to conduct door-to-door visitations must first apply the necessary permit from the police.  This is an extremely baffling scenario.

The campaigning period is already on its 9th day, where every activity has been planned accordingly. This sudden curveball would surely cause severe disruption in campaigning efforts and the frustrations of many.

All along, only public talks require prior assent from the police, which is understandable. However, what is the reasoning behind requiring police permit for simple door-to-door campaigning?

According to Election Rules, only activities such as ceramah’s, gatherings, walkabouts, and similar public events would require police permit. Yet, door-to-door visits are akin to the giving out of promotional materials, which is an activity on a personal scale. If the distributed materials are legal, why does this require additional permit?

Is this new ruling by the EC a backhanded plan to rattle the opposition’s machinery?

The EC must also clarify, regarding the various misuse of government funds and resources by the Pakatan government which was exposed by the opposition in the past week, has any investigations been initiated to probe these benefit-giving behaviours?

I wholeheartedly agree to the notion by the EC to campaign in a more mature manner. However, I would also hold the EC to supervise the by-election professionally, and treat both candidates and the campaigning parties impartially.

Datuk Lim Ban Hong

MCA Vice-President

-MCA Online-