Online petition by Bersih, eight others lists 3 demands for polls

KUCHING: The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) Sarawak has launched an online petition together with eight civil society organisations, to make three demands in ensuring all eligible Sarawakians can take part in the next state election.

The demands, directed to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg and the Election Commission (EC), are that the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) serve the full term until June 6 for elections to be held latest by Aug 5; expansion of absentee voting facilities to include all eligible Sarawakians including those who are not in the state on polling day; and to televise party leaders’ debate and give free airtime for all candidates to replace in-person campaigning.

“If Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg does not seek an early dissolution, the DUN will serve its full term until June 6. As elections must be called within 60 days after the DUN’s dissolution, the EC can hold it as late as Aug 5,” Bersih Sarawak said in a joint statement yesterday.

The statement was endorsed and jointly issued together with Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (Sadia), Lawyer Kamek 4 Change (LK4C), Save Rivers, Penan Baram Empowerment Networking Association (Pena), Persatuan Pemangkin Kesedaran Sosial Kuching, Bersih Sibu, Ikram Sarawak and Persatuan Pemangkin Daya Masyarakat or Rise of Social Efforts (Rose).

Bersih Sarawak said allowing the DUN to serve the full term would be in line with the advice of Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah to avoid early elections, while pointing out that vaccines for Covid-19 are expected to be available by the time the state holds its election on Aug 5.

“Calling for an early election before July would also be a move that prevents the voices of the state’s youths aged 18 to 21 to be heard, as it is the anticipated time for the implementation of the lowering of voting age to 18 and automatic voter registration,” it said.

It also stressed that the EC needed to put in place necessary regulations to expand access to absentee voting, whether by way of postal vote (mail-in ballot), early voting or distant voting – similar to what is being done in the United States, New Zealand and South Korea.

It said a Committee on Absentee Voters under the EC had taken cognisance of the calls to enfranchise East Malaysian voters living or working away from their home state in Peninsula Malaysia by enabling them to vote ‘out-of-region’.

“This is possible through reforming the absentee voting and postal vote process. The Covid-19 situation or pandemic has made it imperative for the committee under the EC to fasttrack these reforms so that it can be in time for the Sarawak state election.”

Bersih Sarawak stated that the legal framework for postal voting already exists and all the EC has to do is to extend the method of voting to Sarawakians who live in other parts of the country and whose voting addresses are still in their home state.

This can be done via a simple notification by way of gazette as stated under Regulation 3(1)(e) of the Elections (Postal Voting) Regulations 2003, it pointed out.

“We believe it is a similar kind of amendment in respect of advance voting – all that is needed is a change to Regulation 27A of the Conduct of Elections Regulations and the change does not need to be debated in Parliament.”

Moreover, to protect Sarawakian voters’ health and democratic rights, Bersih Sarawak said the EC must use its constitutionally-enshrined powers under Article 115 of the Federal Constitution to arrange for Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) and TV Sarawak to televise party leaders’ debate and allocate free air time for all candidates in all constituencies.

“Banning of rallies and doorto-door canvassing (during this Covid-19 outbreak) without substitutes would be akin to forcing Sarawakian voters to make uninformed choices, especially in rural Sarawak which bears the brunt of the digital divide in Malaysia,” it said.

Adding on, Bersih Sarawak said there are about 200,000 or more Sarawakians residing in Peninsular Malaysia whether for work or studies, and that the present Covid-19 pandemic has created further challenges for them to vote especially after the recent resurgence in new cases.

It said members of the public who share the same belief that every Sarawakian’s right to vote must be ‘real, tangible and accessible’ could sign the online petition at http://chng.it/ VmPkX9Wq24.

If Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg does not seek an early dissolution, the DUN will serve its full term until June 6. As elections must be called within 60 days after the DUN’s dissolution, the EC can hold it as late as Aug 5. Bersih Sarawak