(From left) Lau and Ling speaking to reporters. – Photo by Peter Boon
SIBU (Nov 6): The Election Commission (EC) has been urged to remove the suggested time for voting in its voter registration check website, which has caused some confusion among some voters.
Sibu and Lanang incumbents Oscar Ling and Alice Lau, claimed that they had received numerous calls from voters expressing concerns over the matter, adding that the suggested time was implemented previously during the Movement Control Order (MCO) to prevent crowding in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19 during the pandemic.
“It is causing a lot of confusion currently. Even parents called me up and asked if their children can vote in the afternoon as they cannot vote in the morning (according to the suggested time on the EC website).
“I said yes, please come out to vote as this is a very important general election,” she told a joint press conference here today.
The suggested time for voting displayed in the EC’s voters registration website.
Ling explained that the suggested time to vote (‘masa keluar mengundi yang digalakkan’) printed in red in EC’s website is merely a suggestion.
He pointed out that it is not necessary that voters follow the suggested time on the website as they can vote at any time convenient to them.
“My one (suggested time) is between 1.30pm and 3.30pm – this is only a suggested time. But not necessarily that you have to follow. That is why it will be good if EC can remove that part, which creates confusion among the voters.
“No point to indicate suggested time as people can vote at their convenience.
“That said, we still encourage voters to go early to cast their votes to avoid long queues or traffic congestion,” he added.
On a related matter, Ling revealed that he had also received complaints from some voters that their usual polling stations had been changed to the ones nearby
“Because of this sudden change, they do not know where their new polling station is. So, it is advisable that they check on EC’s website”.
Ling also said voters can call his service center at 084-322001, if they require assistance to check for their polling stations.
Meanwhile, Lau revealed that Lanang parliamentary area has 42 polling stations comprising 160 streams.
She, however, clarified that the number excludes early voting, which has four stations and six streams.
She estimated there are about 80,000 normal voters and some 2,000 early voters in the constituency.
Ling informed that Sibu parliamentary area registered about 30,000 increase in the number of new voters due to Undi18, whereas the number of polling streams increased to 225 from 160 previously.