KINABATANGAN: The Election Commission (EC) has given its assurance that all ballot boxes from polling centres in Kinabatangan will reach the official counting centre on time, despite logistical challenges posed by the constituency’s vast and remote terrain.
EC chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun said the commission was fully prepared to manage transportation constraints in the rural parliamentary seat, where access to some polling areas depends on air and river transport.
He said eight remote polling centres will require helicopter support to transport ballot boxes, while one centre will require river transport by boat, adding that the EC has refined its operational planning based on past experience.
“We have learned from what happened previously in Karamuak, Kuamut, where bad weather prevented a helicopter from extracting the ballot boxes on time,” he told reporters after inspecting the early voting process at the Kinabatangan district police headquarters on Tuesday (Jan 20).
Following that incident, Ramlan said the EC has decided to close polling earlier at specific remote centres, including 2pm at Karamuak, to ensure ballot boxes can be transported out safely before weather conditions deteriorate.
Karamuak lies more than three hours away by unpaved roads and is home to 1,278 registered voters.
He said the EC hopes voters in Karamuak will cooperate by turning out earlier to cast their ballots to facilitate smoother logistics and avoid disruptions caused by worsening weather conditions.
He stressed that there would be no compromise on the integrity of the process, with ballot boxes escorted by police and accompanied by party agents throughout the journey.
“There is no excuse. All ballot boxes must arrive at the counting centres. That is our guarantee,” he said.
Ramlan added that while Kinabatangan’s geography presents difficulties, the EC remains ready with contingency measures, including helicopters, boats and coordination with security agencies, to ensure the smooth conduct of polling on election day.
