SABAH POLLS: EC RECEIVES 472 REPORTS OF MINOR ELECTION OFFENCES

TAWAU, Nov 25 (Bernama) -- The Election Commission (EC) has received 472 reports related to minor offences committed during the campaign period for the 17th Sabah State Election as of yesterday.

EC chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun said the offences reported by the election campaign enforcement team involved campaign materials, including ceramah held without permits.

"This matter is on our radar, and the necessary actions will be taken," he told reporters after checking the early voting centre at the Tawau Police Headquarters (IPD) here today.

Ramlan also hopes that voters will refrain from taking photos of their ballot papers while inside the polling booth and uploading the images on social media.

"We hope there will be no more such cases. Measures have been put in place. We have provided a place for voters to leave their phones before entering the polling hall.

"Officers on duty will monitor and ensure that no voters take photos while marking their ballots," he added.

Meanwhile, Ramlan said the EC is fully prepared to handle any situation should flooding occur on polling day (Nov 29).

"We will ensure that the voting process runs smoothly. Standard operating procedures will be implemented, including referring to the District Disaster Management Committee and the State Disaster Management Committee for guidance and assistance," he said.

In a related matter, Tawau police chief ACP Jasmin Hussin said they have arrested four men and opened five investigation papers after receiving seven reports in the district regarding the state polls as of yesterday.

He said the four individuals were arrested for mischief involving the flags of contesting parties and for making defamatory statements on social media.

"These individuals were arrested for incidents that occurred during the campaign period," he said.

He added that three out of the five investigation papers opened pertain to cases under Section 427 of the Penal Code, one case is being probed under Section 379 of the Penal Code, and another case falls under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

Meanwhile, he advised voters to comply with the rules and laws to avoid any untoward incidents during voting.

On early voting at the Tawau IPD, Jasmin said 596 out of 750 police personnel had fulfilled their voting responsibilities as of 2 pm today.

Polling for the 17th Sabah State Election takes place this Saturday, with 1.76 million regular voters eligible to cast their ballots.

For the latest news on the Sabah State Election, visit https://prn.bernama.com/sabah/index.php

-- BERNAMA