QuickCheck: Is the use of smartphones banned in GE15 voting areas?

SMARTPHONES are part and parcel of modern-day life these days and they've wiggled their way into every aspect of your day to day. But one aspect left 'un-wiggled' is your ability to bring them to polling centres.

Is it true that they're no longer allowed at polling stations?

Verdict:

TRUE

In an infographic uploaded on all its social media platforms on Nov 9, the Elections Commission announced that mobile phones will not be allowed inside polling stations.

In the infographic, the EC listed down the 10 key steps voters would have to follow when casting their ballots on Nov 19.

In the sixth step, voters would now be required to surrender their mobile phones to the presiding officer as they collect their ballot papers to vote.

After dropping their ballot papers, voters would then have to return to the presiding officer's desk to collect their phones before leaving the polling centre.

On Oct 20, former prime minister and Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had called on the EC to ban the use of mobile phones inside polling centres, noting that it could negate a voter's ballot secrecy and encourage corruption.

References:

1. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2022/11/09/mobile-phones-banned-inside-polling-stations-says-ec

10 Langkah Pengundian Pada Hari Mengundihttps://t.co/Gh8jJZhAD5 pic.twitter.com/svsiiVfDl6 — Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya Malaysia (@sprgovmy) November 9, 2022