Election workers for Baram to be deployed earlier to ensure on-time arrival
MARUDI: A total of 1,033 election workers for Baram parliamentary seat will be deployed to their respective polling stations two days prior to the polling day this Saturday to ensure that they arrive on time, said Returning Officer Belayong Pok.
He said this strategy was planned in the event of bad weather that will prevent helicopters from transporting these election workers to some of the remotest polling stations in Baram.
“There are 195 polling stations across Baram constituency. We will have to deploy some of the election workers two days prior to polling day, which is this Thursday, depending on the weather.
“If the weather is good on Thursday, some of them will be transported to their stations on that day. But if the weather does not permit, then they will depart on Friday,” he said when met at Marudi district police headquarters yesterday where the early voting process for police personnel in Baram took place.
Belayong also said they will use other ways to transport the election workers to their polling stations if the weather on both days does not permit the use of helicopters.
He added some of the election workers may have to travel using four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicles, while for areas with airstrips like Bario and Long San, the Election Commission (EC) will consider using Twin O er aircra .
Noting that some of the villages like Long Bemang and Long Lenei were flooded yesterday, Belayong is hopeful that the situation would improve before polling day.
“We will see the situation on polling day, hopefully it is clear on D-Day. But, if the polling station is flooded, not much we can do, we will report to the EC.
“If the situation endangers the lives of the voters, then the EC might call the election off, and that is the last resort,” he said, adding it is the EC’s decision whether or not to call off an election.
To a question, Belayong said all EC workers, as well as police personnel, Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) and Civil Defence Force (APM) personnel, are well prepared in the event of flood, especially if there is a need to transport the voters to their polling stations.
“We have boats from Bomba, the police also have their boats as well as APM. They are fully prepared,” he added.