Opposition Coalition Responds to Rising COVID-19 Cases
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s primary opposition coalition, Pakatan Harapan (PH), has called for the postponement of the upcoming Johor state elections due to the surge in COVID-19 cases across the country.
In a statement released on Thursday (Feb 10), PH expressed concern regarding the current wave of infections driven by the Omicron variant, noting a daily caseload that reached 17,000 on Wednesday. “To prevent the situation from being exploited for political gain, the government should seriously consider delaying the Johor election,” the PH presidential council stated.
If the government opts not to delay the elections and wishes to emulate the flexibility seen in Western nations, it should permit open campaigning, including ceramahs (political talks), the coalition added.
The statement was endorsed by key leaders, including Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Anwar Ibrahim, Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) president Mohamad Sabu, Democratic Action Party (DAP) secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, and United Progressive Kinabalu Organization (UPKO) president Madius Tangau.
The previous state elections in Melaka and Sarawak in 2021 were subdued, with no political rallies allowed due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Malaysia’s COVID-19 numbers began to climb significantly in mid-December, with daily cases fluctuating between 2,000 to 3,000 before rising sharply at the end of the month. As of Thursday, the country reported 19,090 new cases, the highest daily total in nearly five months, bringing the cumulative count to over 2.97 million.
While urging for caution, the PH presidential council stressed that a full lockdown should not be reimposed, given its previous ineffectiveness. They warned against the government abusing its power by pursuing legal action against individuals and businesses, advocating instead for a focus on education and awareness to manage the Omicron surge.
The Election Commission (EC) has set March 12 as the polling day for the Johor state election, with nominations scheduled for February 26. Approximately 2,597,742 voters will be eligible to participate, with the EC aiming for a 70 percent voter turnout.
In its campaign plans, PH announced that it would offer a range of proposals to Johor voters addressing economic development, social stability, and political reforms before the election campaign kicks off.
Additionally, two of PH’s member parties, Amanah and DAP, have reached an agreement with the Malaysian United Democratic Party (MUDA) to avoid competing against each other in the Johor elections. Discussions between PKR and MUDA regarding a similar arrangement are reportedly ongoing.
Opposition MP Calls for Simplified Postal Voting Process
In a related matter, opposition MP Yeo Bee Yin has urged the EC to streamline the registration process for overseas voters wishing to vote by post. The Bakri MP highlighted that around 400,000 Malaysians reside in Singapore, many from Johor, and that the vaccinated travel lane (VTL) arrangement restricts the number of voters able to return home to cast their ballots.
“The Election Commission must demonstrate a strong commitment to encourage more Johor voters to engage in the voting process,” she stated.
She pointed out that voters must first register on the EC website, which can take up to two days for approval, before logging in to register as postal voters. Yeo suggested that the EC should simplify the registration process for both account creation and postal voting.
“With COVID-19 already posing challenges for voter turnout, the EC should not complicate the democratic process further,” she added.
The EC has announced that online applications for postal voting, including those for overseas voters, will be open from February 9 to February 22. Additionally, Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching called last month for the establishment of an overseas polling station at the Malaysian High Commission in Singapore, given the significant number of Johor voters working across the Causeway.
