PKR claims GPS used polling station for campaign activities

SARAWAK POLLS | The Election Commission (EC) has been urged to look into claims that Sarawak's ruling coalition Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) used a polling station for its campaign.

PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (above) claimed that the Long Latei multipurpose hall in the Telang Usan state constituency was filled with candidate posters and GPS flags, and that state government agency programmes were being held in the location.

“Today, I saw another anomaly at the Long Latei hall because a state government programme was underway by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry. It used the cover of a so-called Penan community study programme involving lecturers from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas).

"This Long Latei community hall is where the voting process will take place on Nov 18. The EC will use this hall for the process on polling day.

"But, we can see this hall is full of candidate posters and GPS flags which are clearly against the election rules and laws," he said.

The contest for the Telang Usan seat will see a four-cornered fight with incumbent Dennis Ngau (GPS-PBB) facing Philip Jau Ding (PKR), Gia Bala (PBK) and Jau Jok@Jenggo (PSB).

Ngau defended his seat in 2016 with a slim majority of 167 votes. The polling day is set for Dec 18.

'Govt agencies can't campaign for GPS'

Saifuddin also told Malaysiakini that he had asked the EC to act immediately against state government agencies and departments that campaign for political parties.

“During the 12 -day campaign period, there was the involvement of government departments and agencies taking refuge behind the government actually running a campaign for GPS.

“It is wrong for government agencies to participate in this election campaign.

"I made this disclosure to urge the responsible parties, especially the monitoring committee under the EC which consists of various agencies, to take immediate action because this is a clear violation of various election rules and laws," he alleged. - Mkini