GOMBAK: Schooling and teaching resources will be strained if the 15th General Election (GE15) is held during the flood season, says Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin.
The Education Minister said schools are used as both voting centres and flood evacuation centres.
"Schools are one of the major components when we talk about voting centres. At the same time, teachers are also involved in the management of floods when schools are used as temporary flood evacuation centres.
"It's as if there is no other time to hold the elections," he told reporters after the handover of lockers at SK Gombak Setia here on Wednesday (Oct 5).
Radzi, who is also Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) vice-president, said he doesn't agree that GE15 be held at this point in time.
"We know that the risk of flood to happen is very high (during the year-end monsoon season)," he said.
Radzi echoed Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s statement on Tuesday (Oct 4) that the government needs to focus on preparations for floods.
Muhyiddin said that GE15 should not be held this year as the monsoon season is expected to bring floods, especially in the peninsula’s east coast states.
In a strong indication that the elections are close, Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has directed state liaison chiefs to submit names of potential candidates within the next few days.
At the closed-door meeting yesterday, Umno rallied its grassroots leaders in what may be a final gathering before the party heads into the “general election war”.
Radzi said the move by Umno shows the party's disregard for the power of the people.
"This is 'perangai' (attitude) Umno. They want to flex their power but they forget that the rakyat has the most power," he said.
Radzi added that priority should be given to the welfare of the citizens.
