Weekday polling a standard process - Idris Haron





MELAKA, April 10 (Bernama) -- Having the polling day for the 14th General Election (GE14) set on a working day is just a standard process which has been done before, Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron.

He said the Election Commission (EC) must have taken into account various factors before deciding whether to hold the polling on a regular weekday or on weekend.

"Nothing unusual about it because we have had the polls on a working day before.

"And the EC has also done proper preparations by allowing 11 days of campaign period from the nomination day to 11.59 pm on May 8," he told reporters after opening the state-level Ijtimak Murabbi 1439H/2018M at the Melaka International Trade Centre here today.

Also present were Melaka Islamic Religious Council deputy chairman Datuk Yaakub Md Amin and State Secretary Datuk Roslan Ibrahim.

Earlier today, EC chairman Tan Sri Mohd Hashim Abdullah announced nomination for April 28 and polling for May 9 in GE14. Early voting is on May 5.

In SHAH ALAM, Klang UMNO chief Datuk Nasarrudin M. Zin said having the polls on a weekday would not reflect the actual voter turnout for the GE14.

"Voter turnout does not depend on the polling date. It is the voters' responsibility to come out and cast their votes on the given date," he told Bernama here.

In fact, he said having the polls on a working day had been done for quite a number of times before, including for the first general election the country ever held.

"According to the GE records in Malaysia, the first GE was held on Aug 19, 1959, which was a Wednesday, while the GE6 (1982) and GE10 (1999), were held on Thursday and Tuesday, respectively.

"The polling for GE7, GE8, GE11 and GE13, on the other hand, were held on Sunday, which was also a working day in Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah...so, nothing unusual about it," he said.

He said the 11-day campaign period was also adequate for all contesting parties and candidates as they already had five years to win the hearts of the voters after the GE13 was concluded.

"So, for me the 11-day period is just a technical requirement to hold the general election," he added.

-- BERNAMA