Two-week campaigning period enough — DCM

KUCHING: Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr James Masing says a two-week campaigning period is more than enough in this era of advanced technology.

A shorter period would help people to save on cost and curb potential emotional disturbances, he said.

“With IT technologies available to reach the voters, the campaigning period of 14 days is more than enough.

“An extended campaigning period will create more problems as tension and emotion will rise. Security and order need to be maintained and it will, among other things, incur extra cost,” he said.

Masing, who is Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president, said this in reaction to opposition leader Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Ismail's call to the Election Commission to set the campaigning period of not less than 21 days from nomination day.

She reasoned that the extended period would enable candidates to have sufficient time to approach their respective voters as the number of voters had increased in the next general election.

She added it would be unfair if the campaigning period was too short because pursuant to Article 55 (4) of the Federal Constitution, the general election must be held within 60 days after the date of dissolution of Parliament.

On a related development, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Joseph Entulu, said if no election is held after Aug 24 this year, the military would take over the government of the day.

“That is why the election must be held any time before Aug 24, 2018,” he said.

He said the parliament may be dissolved automatically on June 24, and from then on until Aug 24, Malaysia would only have a caretaker government.