Ease SOPs for Covid-19 patients to vote, allow physical campaigning - Bersih

SHAH ALAM: Election watchdog Bersih 2.0 has urged the Election Commission (EC) to ease the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for Covid-19 patients to vote in the Johor state election.

In a statement, Bersih said it is against the Federal Constitution to bar voters from voting.

Therefore, it said a mechanism needs to be prepared for Covid-19 positive voters to vote.

"This (barring voters from voting) is in violation of Article 119 (1) of the constitution which gives voters the right to vote,” it said.

Unlike the Melaka and Sarawak state polls, it is also asking the commission to allow physical campaigning, house-to-house visits, distribution of pamphlets and the use of loudspeakers for election campaigns.

The relaxation of SOPs, it said was crucial as it could provide voters with adequate information about the candidate or party they would want to vote for.

The coalition added that it was of the view that talks which will be organised, should not be held only at operation rooms or at the offices of the candidates' or parties due to the limited space.

It has asked the EC to reconsider the matter and allow physical talks to be held in open areas such as fields or large car parks, but with strict SOPs in place.

“While we understand the need for a permit application to be made to the police to hold talks, we think that giving a 24 hour notice before organising the talks is more than sufficient," it said in the statement, today.

Apart from that, Bersih said voters in areas under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) should not have to apply to the police to go out and vote at their respective polling stations.

It said it was of the opinion that it would be sufficient if voters were to show their negative RTK Antigen test result and furnish the relevant documents as proof that they are voters.