PERMATANG PAUH BY ELECTION

Wednesday August 6, 2008 MYT 2:59:48 PM

Permatang Pauh by-election on Aug 26 (updated)

By MAZWIN NIK ANIS

PUTRAJAYA: The Election Commission has set Aug 16 for nomination and Aug 26 for polls for the Permatang Pauh by-election.

The seat fell vacant on July 31 after PKR president Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail resigned as Permatang Pauh MP to make way for her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to contest in the by-election.

In a statement issued after the Election Commission sat for a two-hour meeting Wednesday, its chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman said the commission was informed of the vacancy in the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat by the Dewan Rakyat Speaker on Aug 1.

He said the commission was fully prepared for the by-election, to be held five months after the March 8 general election, and named the Seberang Prai Tengah district officer Roslan Yahaya as returning officer.

“The nomination day will be held on Aug 16 and polling will take place on Aug 26 if there is to be any contest.

“I would like to emphasise that throughout the by-election period, it is extremely important for all parties to adhere to orders and advice of security personnel responsible in maintaining peace and order.

“Members of political parties, candidates, party workers and other individuals involved must ensure that they respect and adhere to the election laws and campaign ethics.

“All parties are also reminded that there are several petition cases from the previous election which are still ongoing. Hence, candidates are reminded not to touch issues involving these cases during their campaigns,” Rashid said.

An Election Commission (EC) officer holding up the statement on the nomination and casting date for the Permatang Pauh Parliament seat by-election in Putrajaya.

As of July 31, a total of 58,459 voters are eligible to cast their votes in the Permatang Pauh by-election. From the total, 57,969 are regular voters and 490 are postal voters.

Scores of media personnel were left disappointed when the usually media-friendly Rashid refused to hold a press conference Wednesday.

After about two-hours of waiting, the EC public relations officer Sabri Said came down to the lobby where pressmen were waiting to distribute the statement.

When asked why the chairman did not want to meet the press, Sabri said: “What Tan Sri (Rashid) wants to say is all in the statement.”

When contacted by The Star later, EC secretary Datuk Kamaruzaman Mohd Noor said transparent ballot boxes would be used in the by-election but no decision had been made on the use of the indelible ink, despite calls by PKR for its use.

“If they want the ink to be used in the Permatang Pauh by-election, then they should write officially to the commission,” Kamaruzaman said.

On whether voters would find it difficult to cast their votes as polling fell on a working day, the EC secretary said this should not be the case as previous experiences proved that voters had turned up to exercise their rights even on a working day.

“We will also ensure minimal disruption and the 25 schools to be used as polling stations will only be closed for a day.

“We will secure the premises a day before polling when school session is over and will re-open the very next day after the by-election,” he said.

articles source: http://thestar.com.my