Johor polls: EC should not involve secondary school teachers in view of SPM, says Pasir Gudang MP

JOHOR BARU: The Election Commission (EC) has been urged not to involve secondary school teachers in the upcoming state election on March 12.

Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim said this was to avoid the spread of Covid-19 among teachers involved in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, which will take place from March 2 to 29.

"I am worried that if secondary school teachers are involved in the election process as EC's agents or officers, they will have to go through many meetings and training sessions to carry out their role in the election.

"This may increase their risk of being infected by Covid-19.

"If this happens, the teachers would have to be quarantined and this will surely affect efforts to prepare students for the SPM," he said in a statement on Monday (Feb 14).

He also hoped that the EC would not use secondary schools as voting centres for the election.

"I hope the EC will take my views into consideration and make (the right) decision on the matter," he said.

The EC has set nomination day for the Johor state election on Feb 26, with early voting on March 8 and polling day on March 12.