EC: Full vaccination not a requirement for voters

 

The Election Commission will not impose a full vaccination rule for voters participating in the upcoming Malacca legislative assembly election.

In a statement this evening, the EC chairperson Abdul Ghani Salleh refuted reports stating otherwise.

At 2.03pm today, government news agency Bernama cited Ghani stating: "We have strict SOP at polling centres. The conditions include completing two doses of vaccination, wearing face masks and physical distancing. Therefore, we urge all voters to get themselves vaccinated... there is still time."

A corrected version of the quote at 7.07pm reads: "We have strict SOP at polling centres. Conditions on vaccination, wearing of face masks, practising physical distancing and the like."

Ghani spoke to reporters today in Malacca after announcing the election date.

The government's definition of "fully vaccinated" is 14 days after the second dose for two-dose type vaccines and 28 days after a dose of a one-dose type vaccine.

According to Health Ministry data, 104.8 percent of Malacca's adult population are "fully vaccinated". This is likely an overestimate as the Health Ministry relied on population data from the 2010 census.

Election Commission chairperson Abdul Ghani Salleh

The Malacca election will be held on Nov 20.

Another key change for this coming election, Ghani said, was a "recommended time slot" to reduce crowding.

"We will issue the proposed times for voting through our system, just like the MySejahtera application. Voters should avoid going out all at once in the morning.

"If possible, let senior citizens vote in the morning and the younger people in the afternoon.

"We have strict SOPs at polling centres. The conditions include completing two doses of vaccination, wearing of face masks and physical distancing," he said.

The voter list updated as of Q2 2021 would be used for this election, Ghani said, adding that the EC was expecting a 70 percent turnout.

The Malacca state assembly was dissolved on Oct 4 after four representatives withdrew their support for the leadership of Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali.

The four  are Idris Haron (BN-Sungai Udang), Nor Azman Hassan (BN-Pantai Kundor), Norhizam Hassan Baktee (Independent-Pengkalan Batu) and Noor Effandi Ahmad (Bersatu-Telok Mas).

During the press conference, Ghani erroneously said on live television that the election date falls on Nov 28 when the press handout stated Nov 20. - Mkini