Sg Bakap polls: All permit applications approved by police so far, says Home Minister

Photo: Bernama

NIBONG TEBAL: Not a single permit application by the contesting parties in the Sungai Bakap by-election has been rejected, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

The Home Minister said all 153 applications by both sides were approved by the police.

"None were denied, all were approved.

"This means there were no obstacles,there were no constraints at all," he said at a press conference here on Thursday (July 4).

Saifuddin said the election campaign monitoring has been fair and transparent by the police as well as Election Commission monitors.

He said that all permits for campaign events have been granted and that the police have been ensuring security without bias or excessive interference.

He said as the campaigning entered the 13th day, police has received four reports - two under Section 4a(1) of Election Offences Act 1954 and two reports under Section 427 and Section 379 of the Penal Code.

He said in the last 48 hours before polling day, it can be concluded that for now, the overall campaign related to security issues is under control.

He added that the total number of police personnel deployed up until election day is 835 officers and personnel.

He dismissed claims by the PAS leadership that police were overly scrutinising the Opposition’s campaign in the Sungai Bakap polls.

Last month, during a Parliament session, PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man claimed that the ruling government has used police to harass Opposition politicians by excessively monitoring and recording their activities.

The Kubang Kerian MP said he has received complaints about the abuse of “security teams” in election campaigns, including in Sungai Bakap by-election.