EC prep fuels June polls speculation
BernamaPublished: Apr 9, 2012 3:57 PM | Updated: Apr 10, 2012 3:31 AM
Election Commission (EC) chairperson Abd Aziz Mohd Yusof's remarks today on preparations for the 13th general election has sparked speculation among media members in Kuching that the polls could be held in June this year.
Election Commission (EC) chairperson Abd Aziz Mohd Yusof's remarks today on preparations for the 13th general election has sparked speculation among media members in Kuching that the polls could be held in June this year.
When he said EC would be finalising preparations for the GE in June, it immediately drew questions from the media on whether the election would be held by then.
"Administratively, I am making preparations for my officers by June... but I am not saying that the election will not be held before June," he told a news conference after officiating a briefing for returning officers and their assistants in Kuching.
He said there could be some signal given to him before the GE, but to date, he had yet to get any.
Meanwhile, 151 election officials comprising 31 returning officers and 120 assistant returning officers attended the two-day briefing.
Abd Aziz (left) said, besides the briefing here, similar meetings would also be held in Sibu on April 12 and Miri on April 16, which were meant to familiarise the officers with new procedures to be featured in the forthcoming GE.
"The 13th general election will be unlike the previous general election.
"There will be many new things introduced for the first time," he added.
Meanwhile, amendments to the Election Offences Act 1954 tabled in the Dewan Rakyat today for second reading include removing the mandatory requirement of appointing a polling or counting agent by a candidate's election agent.
The Election Offences Amendment Bill was tabled by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Liew Vui Keong.
Another amendment is extending the distance for the public to wait or being near the polling centre on polling day from 50 metres to 100 metres, except for voters who come to cast their votes.
Under the amended sub-clause 8(c), the words "voting place" has been replaced with "voting centre".
Clause 3 of the amendment bill is aimed at amending Section 4 of the Act by replacing the words "to remove" to "be marked" as the former has a negative connotation.
Liew also tabled for the first reading, amendments to the Jasa Perkasa Persekutuan (Remembrance Allowance) Act and Pingat Tentera Udara (Remembrance Allowance) Act.
The amendment bills provide, among others, for an allocation for remembrance allowance of RM1,000 monthly to be given to each recipient of the Jasa Perkasa Persekutuan medal, which is a federal award, and each recipient of the Pingat Tentera Udara who are still alive.
The two amendment bills also seek to provide a one-off payment of RM10,000 to the next of kin of the awards recipients who have died.
- Bernama
When he said EC would be finalising preparations for the GE in June, it immediately drew questions from the media on whether the election would be held by then.
"Administratively, I am making preparations for my officers by June... but I am not saying that the election will not be held before June," he told a news conference after officiating a briefing for returning officers and their assistants in Kuching.
He said there could be some signal given to him before the GE, but to date, he had yet to get any.Meanwhile, 151 election officials comprising 31 returning officers and 120 assistant returning officers attended the two-day briefing.
Abd Aziz (left) said, besides the briefing here, similar meetings would also be held in Sibu on April 12 and Miri on April 16, which were meant to familiarise the officers with new procedures to be featured in the forthcoming GE.
"The 13th general election will be unlike the previous general election.
"There will be many new things introduced for the first time," he added.
Meanwhile, amendments to the Election Offences Act 1954 tabled in the Dewan Rakyat today for second reading include removing the mandatory requirement of appointing a polling or counting agent by a candidate's election agent.
The Election Offences Amendment Bill was tabled by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Liew Vui Keong.
Another amendment is extending the distance for the public to wait or being near the polling centre on polling day from 50 metres to 100 metres, except for voters who come to cast their votes.
Under the amended sub-clause 8(c), the words "voting place" has been replaced with "voting centre".
Clause 3 of the amendment bill is aimed at amending Section 4 of the Act by replacing the words "to remove" to "be marked" as the former has a negative connotation.
Liew also tabled for the first reading, amendments to the Jasa Perkasa Persekutuan (Remembrance Allowance) Act and Pingat Tentera Udara (Remembrance Allowance) Act.
The amendment bills provide, among others, for an allocation for remembrance allowance of RM1,000 monthly to be given to each recipient of the Jasa Perkasa Persekutuan medal, which is a federal award, and each recipient of the Pingat Tentera Udara who are still alive.
The two amendment bills also seek to provide a one-off payment of RM10,000 to the next of kin of the awards recipients who have died.
- Bernama
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