KUALA LUMPUR: The state governments involved in the coming polls have been urged to inform the Election Commission (EC) of their dissolution dates so that a polling date can be determined.
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In a statement on Wednesday (June 21), the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) said that the current uncertainty about the polling date is burdening the public and businesses in the six states currently waiting for the announcement of the polling day.
“Although some Chief Ministers have met the Sultan or Yang di-Pertua to obtain the Royal Assent for the dissolution of their respective State Legislatures, from our knowledge some have yet to officially notify the EC about the date of dissolution,” said Bersih.
The election watchdog’s steering committee called for all states to be more responsible by officially informing the EC of the planned dissolution date.
“This allows the EC to decide the nomination date and polling day immediately because it does not need to wait for the dissolution to happen. It only requires an official notification from the respective state governments,” said Bersih.
It added that an early announcement by the EC would make it easier for all parties involved to plan to face the polls.
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“Most importantly, voters can plan their schedules ahead of time to vote in the election,” said Bersih.
It was reported earlier that the six states had already reached an agreement to dissolve their respective state assemblies to pave the way for simultaneous state polls.
The Selangor state assembly automatically expires on June 25, followed by Kelantan on June 27, Terengganu on June 30, Kedah on July 3, Negri Sembilan on July 1, and Penang on Aug 2.
– The Star