DESPITE being allowed to conduct ceramah during political campaigning in the run-up to the Johor state election next month, an MP has expressed her disappointment that a police permit is still required.
Teo Nie Ching is referring to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the Johor state election as published by the Election Commission (EC) on Saturday (Feb 19).
“Looking through the SOPs, I find that most steps that were advised made sense and are practical in the effort to break the COVID-19 chain of infection especially given the rise in the number of daily cases,” said the Kulai MP.
“However, it is disappointing and disheartening that while conducting ceramah is allowed, we would need to obtain a permit from the police.”
Calling the procedure “regressive” as permits are “no longer a necessity” Teo said that permits for a peaceful assembly was a requirement under Section 27 of the Police Act 1967.
“This would mean that the police had it within their discretion to grant permits for assemblies such as a protest or in this context, a ceramah.
“However, Section 27 of this Act was repealed in 2012. Thus, organisers are no longer required to seek permission from PDRM – they would just need to notify the police of the scheduled time and place.”
Teo further remarked that while extra precaution to protect the people from contracting COVID-19 was welcomed, she did not see how obtaining a police permit was important to meet that purpose.
“This is particularly when the SOPs are already quite clear in terms of activities and capacities allowed,” she noted.
“Furthermore, it leaves the onus to Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) to arbitrarily withhold permits if and when they see fit.”
She went on to express hopes that the EC would reconsider the necessity of police permits, reminding them that this would only hurt the election process as it was not clear as to how long it would take for the permit to be approved and how much paperwork is required.
It also carries an unnecessary burden to the police officers that would need to file and review each permit that it is submitted, she added.
“I would also like to pre-emptively warn the EC that should the previous ruling coalition successfully obtain more permits to hold a ceramah than the opposition, then it leads to a perception of biasness and that our efforts for a free and fair election has gone to waste.”
Official election campaigning for the Johor state election can only start on nomination day, which the EC set on February 26.
Early voting is set for March 8 and polling day on March 12. – Feb 21, 2022
