EC shifting into gear for general election

Schools selected nationwide as polling stations have been formally notified by the returning officers of their respective constituencies, further fuelling speculation that snap polls are on the way.

The letters sent early this month also invite teachers and other school staff to register themselves as polling centre chiefs and polling clerks.

"This is to inform that I have been appointed as returning officer for (this parliamentary constituency) for the 13th general election which can be called at any time before the 12th Dewan Rakyat term expires.

"For your information, your school has been selected by the Election Commission as one of the polling centres in the next general election," the letter reads.

According to teachers, who chose to remain anonymous, the deadline for schools to provide a list of those interested to be polling clerks is today.

It also understood that some schools have held meetings this week to decide on the polling clerks, with allowances said to be up to RM500 per person.

The teachers also claim that those who are pregnant and due to give birth around the year end were ineligible to be polling clerks.

Contacted by Malaysiakini, EC secretary Kamaruddin Mohamed Baria confirmed that it began its training for polling clerks today.

"Training starts in Selangor today, with the rest of the states to follow," he said.

He said that the length of the training depends on the areas in which they will be working.

"The training will involve video screening and the holding of a mock election," he said.

No instruction regarding school halls

He said that most of the volunteers have acted as polling clerks in several previous elections and as such, for them it will be merely be a refresher course.

"We'll be updating them on some new procedures," he said, noting also that allowances for polling clerks have seen a slight increase.

The EC this morning held a briefing for returning officers in Selangor, in preparation for the 13th general election which must be called by March 2013.

Asked on a media report claiming that schools had received instructions not to rent out their halls until the end of the year, Kamaruddin said that no such directive had been sent out.

"No, we didn't issue any directive. We don't even know when the election will be called," he said.

He added that in most cases, only classrooms are used as polling centres, with the EC moving in to arrange tables and chairs a day earlier.

"Ballot papers and boxes will only be sent to the premises in the morning of the polling day," he said.