Only the Dewan Rakyat speaker can determine whether Upko’s exit from Pakatan Harapan amounts to a breach of the anti-party hopping provision, said Election Commission chairperson Ramlan Harun.
He said this when asked by reporters if the commission has the power to decide on the matter.
“EC is not the body that can determine whether a vacancy has occurred or not.
“We will wait for the speaker’s decision if the matter involves an MP. For now, we cannot determine their position,” Ramlan (above) said when met during a nomination day rehearsal held in Putatan, Sabah today.
His remarks came amid public debate on whether Upko’s move could trigger the anti-party-hopping law.
For the record, Upko contested in the 2022 general election under the Harapan symbol. It won the Penampang and Tuaran parliamentary seats. It left the coalition earlier this week.
Sabah ready for polls
Ramlan earlier inspected a full rehearsal of Saturday’s nomination process in Putatan, which covers the state seats of Tanjung Keramat, Tanjung Aru, and Petagas.
He said all 73 state constituencies and 25 parliamentary nomination centres were now fully prepared.
“Alhamdulillah, the rehearsal ran smoothly, and we are fully ready,” he said.
The EC has sold over 3,334 nomination forms statewide, and 325 individuals have paid their deposits, signalling their intention to contest.
While nomination centres will accept submissions from 9am to 10am, Ramlan stressed that processing will continue until all forms received within the time frame are completed.
He also said the EC has ensured that logistics, internet access, and security are in place.
“We hope the process tomorrow will run peacefully, and everyone can cooperate. Avoid any provocation,” he said.
Different security dynamics
To maintain peace throughout the polls, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Ismail said 9,300 police officers are deployed across the state.
He also said the force had undertaken its “best preparation” for the polls, noting that Sabah’s security dynamics required closer attention than in other states.
“Starting tomorrow, we enter a critical period. Sabah is different in its security dynamics, so we have to concentrate on certain areas that may pose challenges,” he added.
Khalid stated that his team has identified around 15 hotspots, particularly in Kota Kinabalu and the east coast, due to heightened political activity and the presence of active NGOs and pressure groups. - Mkini
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