Differing views on providing free transport to voters
PAGOH: Perikatan Nasional will not be providing any allocation or transport to bring voters to their polling stations, says Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
The coalition’s chairman said such a move could be interpreted by some as a form of bribery to woo voters into casting their ballots for them.
“I need to be careful. We urge the public to return home and vote as that is their responsibility.
“If there is any group that wants to provide buses or other forms of transport, then it is up to them.
“But for us, we will not be providing such incentives. We are poor and do not even have enough money for the election,” he told reporters when met after officiating at Karnival Sahabat Usahawan Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia at the Bukit Pasir community hall here yesterday.
Muhyiddin was asked if Perikatan would be assisting the public, including flood victims, to get to their polling stations on Saturday.
The former prime minister, who is defending his Pagoh seat, said with the government declaring Nov 18 and 19 as public holidays, it would be easier for voters to return home and vote.
Separately, Barisan Nasional candidate for the Kulai seat Chua Jian Boon said the coalition has been collecting data on elderly and disabled voters since the beginning of the campaign period.
He said this was to ensure that they are able to come out and vote through the free transportation provided by its election machinery.
“Usually, the village chiefs will be in charge of this. We have alerted all of them to call for help in case there are voters in need of such services.
“This has been a normal practice for Barisan in every election, so all we need to do is to refresh the procedure of sending the voters to the polling centres and back home,” he said, adding that there are 20 village chiefs in the Kulai district.
He also said the Election Commission (EC) would usually place volunteers at the entrance of the polling centres to help elderly or disabled voters.
“The EC also has a specially dedicated lane for them to register and cast their vote, so there is no issue,” he said.
Asked whether there are preparations to help voters whose houses are flooded, Chua said the village chiefs will inform those who want to vote to board the free transport to the polling centres.
“The village chiefs will be at the temporary relief centres which are usually not affected by floods. Those who want to vote can utilise the free service,” he said.