Ensuring polls go smoothly

Reaching far and wide: Workers carrying bags containing ballot papers onto a helicopter to be sent to polling stations in Pulau Redang in Terengganu. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR: With over 20 million Malaysians expected to cast their votes today, election workers have been working hard on the final preparations to ensure that everything goes smoothly.

Up until late yesterday, workers were arranging voting channels and equipment, preparing ballot boxes and guidelines in accordance with Election Commission (EC) rules.

At SMK Bandar Baru Sentul here, preparations had been under way since 10am, Bernama reported.

“There are around 75 people, including teachers, Kuala Lumpur City Hall employees and police who will be on duty at all eight channels here, catering to 4,911 voters,” said Nurazurah Hashim, the polling station coordinator.

“Wheelchairs and ramps are available for people with disabilities and the elderly.

“Ballot boxes will only be brought into the polling station at about 6am under police escort,” she said.

In Melaka, workers were seen preparing an isolation room for Covid-19 patients and a covered route for voters at SJK(C) Ping Ming, one of 48 polling centres for the Kota Melaka seat.

In Negri Sembilan, Seremban mayor Datuk Mazli Razali, who is the returning officer for the Seremban seat, said preparations were 80% complete.

In Johor, EC workers were conducting a review process for ballot boxes and polling centre equipment as early as 9am at the Simpang Renggam district administrative complex while in Kedah, the workers were doing final checks on 199 ballot boxes at the counting centre for the Alor Setar seat.

In Terengganu, helicopters were being readied to supply voting equipment, including boxes of ballot papers, to polling stations on islands and the interior.

From the Setiu district council field, ballot papers were being flown to a polling station in Pulau Redang, and also to Pulau Perhentian near Besut and to Pasir Raja near Hulu Dungun.

In Putrajaya, returning officer Shamshul Joehari Zainal Mokhtar reminded voters not to show up wearing clothes bearing party logos as they would not be allowed in.