Batu Sapi polls will be held after emergency period ends - EC

 

The Batu Sapi parliamentary by-election will be held within 60 days after the emergency period ends, Election Commission (EC) chairperson Abdul Ghani Salleh said.

He said it was the same period set when the EC received the official notification of a vacancy for parliamentary or state seats.

"It’s like we just received the notification from the speaker. It means that we have 60 days to carry out the election," Abdul Ghani told a press conference in Putrajaya today.

Malaysiakini and most other media organisations were not allowed to cover this press conference. 

On Nov 18, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah made a Proclamation of Emergency for the Batu Sapi parliamentary constituency, in effect cancelling the by-election for the seat.

The Proclamation of Emergency, based on Clause (1) Article 150 of the Federal Constitution, was made after studying the explanation given by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who had presented his advice based on a decision taken at a cabinet meeting.

The EC had set Nov 23 for nomination, Dec 1 for early voting and Dec 5 for polling for the Batu Sapi by-election.

The by-election was called after Batu Sapi MP Liew Vui Keong died from a lung infection on Oct 2.

Asked about the possibility of a declaration of emergency in Gerik and Bugaya, Abdul Ghani said the EC only carried out the task of conducting elections as enshrined in the Federal Constitution.

On Nov 24, the Dewan Rakyat was told that a declaration of emergency, like the one proclaimed for the Batu Sapi parliamentary constituency, is currently being considered for both the Gerik parliamentary constituency and the Bugaya state constituency, which are facing a by-election following the death of their respective elected representatives.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Takiyuddin Hassan said the declaration, however, depends on the risk assessment by the Ministry of Health and the National Security Council.

- Bernama