Datuk Abdul Ghani (second left) handing over ballot papers to an election worker who is delivering it by helicopter to Kampung Terian, a rural village.
PENAMPANG (Sept 25): Voters will have their fingers sanitised before they are allowed to dip them in indelible ink during polling tomorrow, amid concerns over the spread of Covid-19.
Election Commission chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh said beside sanitising voters’ hands, they would also be required to undergo a health screening before they are allowed to enter the polling centre.
“We are doing this to ensure the safety for all and that only those who are healthy are in the voting stations,” he said when asked about the fears of some voters that they could contract Covid-19 from contaminated indelible ink.
Speaking to reporters after inspecting preparations at the Penampang Cultural Centre here, Abdul Ghani said voters who were unhealthy would not be allowed into the voting station but brought to a tent manned by the Health Department.
Sabah has been declared a Covid-19 red zone with the number of cases rising sharply this week.
Meanwhile, Abdul Ghani said ballot papers and boxes are being dispatched to rural areas starting this morning.
“We have deployed 20 helicopters to deliver all the needed tools to Sabah’s rural and islands locations. If the weather is not favorable, our option is to deliver by 4WD or by boat. So, don’t worry. We have already considered the weather,” he said.
Abdul Ghani also said that they hoped all the results would be out by 10pm tomorrow.
“But this depends on the Returning Officers at the respective voting location,” he said.
At the same time, Abdul Ghani urged voters to go to their designated polling stations on time, pointing out that polling ends at 5pm.
He also reminded voters to bring their identification card.