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MIRI: Difficulty campaigning and transporting voters due to Covid-19 restrictions will be a major concern if Sarawak’s state elections are held soon, according to recently concluded Sabah polls, state politicians say.
The leaders of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) believe that the logistical difficulties in Sarawak were similar to the situation in Sabah.
PBB Mulu Assemblyman Datuk Gerawat Gala said more vans, 4WDs and boats should be used, not just during the election campaign but on Election Day.
“The new rules emerging from Covid-19 will be a new challenge for Sarawak in the upcoming state elections,” Gerawat said.
Telang Usan Assemblyman Dennis Ngau said transportation of voters to polling stations must be properly planned.
“Many people from the countryside who live in remote longhouses need a means of transportation to get to the polling stations, as they do not have vehicles. Due to the passenger capacity limit, we will have to prepare more vehicles, ”he said.
PBB is the backbone of the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition, along with the United People’s Party of Sarawak (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP).
The twelfth state election must be held by September 2021.
But there has been talk that it could be called later this year. Meanwhile, SUPP Youth chief Michael Tiang said he was “surprised and disappointed” that the Covid-19 standard operating procedure (SOP) was not strictly enforced during Sabah’s election campaign.
“We saw politicians and the public mingling in meetings without social distancing. Some meetings were attended by more than 250 people as allowed by the SOP.
“I hope that the SOP for public meetings is strictly enforced for the upcoming Sarawak elections.
“No one should enjoy privileges under the SOP, be it a candidate or any state leader,” he added.
The PKR state vice president and deputy for Miri, Dr. Teo Yu Keng, also believes that logistical problems like in Sabah would also occur in Sarawak, especially in rural areas.
“Our campaign teams will have to divide into small groups due to Covid-19 fears. We cannot go in large groups to the villages and we have to observe social distancing.
“We can’t get into vehicles either,” he said, adding that according to the SOP, only four people could be in a car and five to six could travel in a 4WD vehicle.
Dr. Teo said that this meant that voters could not be taken en masse to polling stations and that more vehicles would be needed for transportation.
“At the polling stations there will be long lines due to demands for social distancing. The process to cast votes will be slower due to the limit on the number of voters at the polling station at any given time ”. Sarawak DAP Senior Leader Chiew Chiu Sing said urban constituencies could see lower turnout if Covid-19 fears continue.
“Some urban people may be afraid to go to polling stations if there are large crowds and infections are still a concern,” he said.
“The campaign will not be as great as before. Limits on crowd size will be the new norm and house-to-house campaigns will have to be intensified. “
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