Johor polls: Final prep work in full swing as election day looms

EC employees making final preparations for polling day on Saturday (March 12) at Johor Baru's Dewan JKR on March 11. - Photo by Thomas Yong/The Star

JOHOR BARU: Final preparations are under way at a total of 1,021 polling centres across Johor ahead of polling day on Saturday (March 12).

Election Commission (EC) secretary Datuk Ikmalrudin Ishak said the preparations at the centres’ 4,638 channels include ensuring that all the necessities such as indelible ink, ballot boxes and ballot papers are in place.

“A total of 49,290 personnel will be on duty throughout the voting process where approximately 2,539,606 registered voters will cast their votes.

“Voters are advised to head to their respective polling centres according to the suggested time slots shown on the MySPR Semak website or app.

“However, voters can still cast their ballot at any time from 8am until 6pm, but do refrain from waiting until the last minute to do so,” he said in a statement on Friday (March 11).

He urged employers to give employees who are registered voters the chance to vote as stated under Section 25(1) of the Election Offences Act 1954.

Ikmalrudin also reminded candidates about the campaigning period, which ends at 11.59pm on Friday.

“After that, all campaign activities must stop, including appealing for votes whether physically, outside the polling centres or virtually via social media channels.

“All contesting parties and candidates are not allowed to set up, construct or maintain booths as action will be taken against those who commit such offences,” he added.

On polling day, all voters must wear face masks and observe physical distancing.

Voters should also sanitise their hands frequently at four designated stations at each polling centre: the main entry point, before entering the polling channel, after voting and having their finger dipped in indelible ink, and before exiting the polling centre.

“Voters with Covid-19 symptoms are allowed to vote in a special tent overseen and handled by health officials.

“Voters with patient under investigation (PUI) and person under surveillance (PUS) status will need to obtain permission from the district health officer in order to head out to cast their vote,” he said, adding that this permission depended upon the individual’s infection rate assessment.

Voters may check their polling centre and time slot via the EC website at https://mysprsemak.spr.gov.my/.