Malacca residents urge state election postponement

 

Some residents in Malacca fear that the upcoming state election will trigger a spike in Covid-19 cases, thus affecting social and economic activities in the state, which is currently in Phase 3 of the National Recovery Plan.

A check by Bernama found that residents in the state hoped and appealed for the polls to be postponed, taking into account the increasing number of Covid-19 cases that occurred after the Sabah state election held in September last year.

Malacca recorded 200 Covid-19 positive cases today, with 88.5 percent of the adult population in the state having been fully vaccinated as of yesterday.

A restaurant operator in Bandar Hilir, Mazlan Ismail, 45, said food traders had just breathed a sigh of relief after the dine-in permission was granted but feared that it would be withdrawn if there is a spike in cases again.

“If the election is held, the people of Malacca living in different states will definitely return to vote, and no one can deny their rights as voters, but we are worried that there will be an infection that will contribute to the increase in cases.

“From what I see, the government needs to learn from what happened after the Sabah election; positive cases increased not only there but throughout the country, that many business sectors had to be closed due to the implementation of the movement control order (MCO),” he told Bernama.

A clothing trader at Pahlawan Walk, Sharifah Shahira Wafa Syed Rosely Waffa, 27, also expressed concern that the state polls would adversely affect the recovery process from the Covid-19 outbreak, especially Malacca which relied on reopening the state tourism sector.

“Traders in tourist areas such as Pahlawan Walk are very hopeful of visitors, but what can we really do?” she said.

She also decided not to cast her vote if the election was still held, due to fears of being infected by the virus despite the standard operating procedures (SOP) outlined by the authorities.

In contrast to her views, a private sector employee, Ian Choo Tze Wei, 29, said he would still go out to vote because it was his responsibility in electing his representative.

However, he hoped that the state polls would be postponed until the situation was completely safe from the Covid-19 outbreak.

Malacca Youth Coalition Council (MGBM) vice-president Zaiton Sidek also expressed deep concern that the high probability of an increase in Covid-19 cases would hamper various activities, especially among youths.

“There are actually many activities for youths that we have already planned, but are often delayed during the Covid-19 pandemic, especially when the MCO was enforced," she said.

The Election Commission has received an official notification regarding the dissolution of the 14th Malacca state assembly on Monday 4 from state speaker Ab Rauf Yusoh.

Pursuant to Clause (4) of Article 19 of the Malacca State Constitution, a state election must be held within 60 days after the date of the dissolution of the state assembly.

- Bernama