Polls candidates can air their aspirations via MalaccaFM - Annuar

 

MALACCA POLLS | Apart from allowing the Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) to air posters and biodata of all candidates contesting in the Malacca state election, the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia will also provide space for the candidates to express their aspirations through the MalaccaFM radio station.

Its minister, Annuar Musa, said the matter had been discussed with the Broadcasting Department director-general and Malacca Broadcasting Department director, as part of efforts to help candidates campaign through government official channels.

“For MalaccaFM radio station, I allow the station to help in any way it can, (for candidates) to be given space to come to the studio or make an audio recording to be broadcast by the station.

“We give the candidates a few minutes to state their aspirations if they are given the opportunity to be elected as people’s representatives in the constituency,” he said at a press conference after an interview with MalaccaFM last night.

Annuar said that despite a large number of candidates, MalaccaFM could coordinate so that all candidates would get the same opportunity.

It is also an additional platform for candidates to campaign, on top of using social media, following the strict standard operating procedures (SOPs) to campaign in this state election, apart from taking into account the low internet access in some areas.

On Saturday, Annuar said that the government allowed RTM to air posters and biodata of candidates contesting in the Malacca polls starting on Sunday.

Meanwhile, commenting on whether the method would be used for the Sarawak state election, Annuar said he would first look at the level of infrastructure there as there were areas that had no access at all.

“We will see how. Maybe radio broadcast is better, if television may be a little difficult, but the message must be conveyed to voters because it is their right to know before they can elect their representatives. So, we will help the process without favour,” he said.

Annuar also said there are still many candidates who have not provided information to RTM, probably because the matter was only decided on Saturday and the candidates have been too busy campaigning.

Therefore, he had asked officials, including his political secretary, to contact each candidate because he wanted to be fair to all and did not want anyone to be left behind.

“Although I understand they are busy, unless they don’t want it, then we can’t force them. It is an option on top of their other campaigns through Facebook, Twitter and so on,” he said.

- Bernama