Pakatan’s motive over posters quizzed
PUTRAJAYA: The Election Commission (EC) is questioning why Pakatan Harapan is “making an issue” about not being allowed to display pictures of its chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on its campaign posters.
It said such a ruling was not new.
The regulation had been applied in every general election and byelection, says EC chairman Tan Sri Mohd Hashim Abdullah.
He said the use of logos or pictures of leaders from Pakatan could not be used in the general election if its application as an Opposition coalition was not approved by the Registrar of Societies (RoS).
“Pakatan’s allegation that it is not within the EC’s jurisdiction to make such a ruling is not true and is meant to confuse the voters.
“We are the authority when it comes to elections, including rules on campaigning.
“The use of combined logos or symbols of any party whose registration has not been approved by the RoS and the EC cannot be used during the polls,” he said.
On Tuesday, DAP organising secretary Anthony Loke said the Opposition would only be allowed to display pictures of its candidates and the president of the party contesting in the polls.
He said Pakatan could not put up pictures of Dr Mahathir despite him being the chairman and prime ministerdesignate.
Loke questioned why the EC was banning them from doing this.
Mohd Hashim said the Election Offences Act 1954, among others, stated that political parties or candidates were not allowed to display, furnish and distribute campaign materials unless given a permit by the state election director and has paid the deposit.
Campaign materials must also adhere to these regulations:
Only pictures of the candidate contesting in the area and the leader of the contesting political party, as well as its symbol and manifesto can be used on posters and banners;
Putting up posters with pictures of leaders of parties that are not contesting in the area are not permitted; and
Only flags of the political party contesting in the area can be displayed.