KUCHING: The state Election Commission (EC) is seeking an allocation of between RM60 and RM70 million from the government to conduct the 13th general election in Sarawak.
Its director Datu Takun Sunggah said the requested allocation was an increase of about 50 per cent compared to the allocation for the 12th general election in 2008.
“We need more allocation mostly because of the higher cost of logistics and allowances for our election workers which number between 14,000 to 15,000 people,” Takun told The Borneo Post here yesterday.
He added that this time around, the state EC would use more helicopters and other modes of transport, such as four-wheel drive vehicles, to reach out to the voters and bring the ballot boxes to the counting centres.
In the last general election, some 20 helicopters were deployed, but this time around the EC might need two to three more units.
On a related issue, Takun disclosed that the state EC was “in the midst of preparing” for the 13th general election.
“We would start recruiting election returning officers (ROs) starting in April.”
He revealed that the ROs would be recruited from among the district officers (DOs), local council secretaries, and senior city council staff.
“Though we are in high gear, we are not the one calling the shot. That prerogative belongs to the top BN leadership to decide,” he said when asked on the role of the EC.
On voters, Takun revealed that there were some 300,000 eligible Sarawakians who had yet to register as voters compared to some one million registered voters.
He said if these people wanted to be registered as voters, they should register before the end of this month so that they would be eligible to vote if the general election is held after May.
“Actually, we have used all means, such as radio, television and newspapers, to reach out to the people to get them to register as voters. There is nothing we can do if the people refuse to exercise their democratic right.”