The Penanti by-election will enable the Election Commission (EC) to apply the litmus test in strictly enforcing election laws and other curbs on both nomination and polling day.
Political parties and their supporters will, for example, be prevented from canvassing for votes and campaigning from midnight to 5pm on polling day - May 31 - to allow a cooling-off period for voters to make their choice.
“We have allowed a campaign period from May 23 (nomination day) until midnight on May 30 and you can campaign all you want within that. On polling day, stop it...I don’t want a mockery of the law,” warned EC head Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof at a press conference this morning.He also did not rule out the possibility that the number of supporters accompanying candidates on nomination day would be limited to a “sensible” number, so that the police strength can also be reduced.
“There are no provisions in the law to limit the number of supporters. But from our observation, the numbers are getting bigger just to escort their candidate to the nomination centre. Anything could happen if this gets out of control,” said Abdul Aziz.
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