Wan Azizah calls for a minimum 21-day campaign period

PARLIAMENT | Parliamentary Opposition Leader Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has called on the Election Commission to consider extending the campaigning period to a minimum of 21 days for the forthcoming general election.

This, she said, is so that all candidates would have more time to get closer to the people.

"We have more voters today so it's not fair if the campaigning period is shortened," she said at the Dewan Rakyat, while debating the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's speech.

Citing Article 55 of the Federal Constitution, Wan Azizah said the election can be held anytime within the period of 60 days after the dissolution of Parliament.

"With this provision, there is no reason for the EC to fix a short campaigning period," she said, pointing to the 35-day campaigning period for the 1969 general election.

In the following two elections in 1974 and 1978, however, the campaigning period was decreased to just 16 days.

Wan Azizah also called for an end to postal voting, pointing out that results from postal voting would almost always favour BN.

"Because of this, the EC in the last general election had stopped the option of postal voting and changed it to advanced voting.

"So I don't see a strong reason why the advanced voting process must be changed to postal voting, except with the possibility to ensure that BN wins easily in the 14th general election.

"Is this BN's desperate move to obtain a victory without dignity and integrity?" she queried.

Opposition parties had previously expressed doubt over the process after they were barred from accessing postal ballot boxes.

There were also complaints from counting agents who claimed that postal ballot boxes failed to arrive on the stipulated ballot-counting dates. - Mkini