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BERSIH - EARLY LIFTING OF SARAWAK EMERGENCY DISENFRANCHISED YOUNG VOTERS PDF Print E-mail
Friday, 05 November 2021 10:08

Press statement  BERSIH 2.0
4 November 2021


EARLY LIFTING OF SARAWAK EMERGENCY DISENFRANCHISED YOUNG VOTERS BUT DON'T FURTHER DISENFRANCHISE SARAWAKIANS LIVING IN THE PENINSULA


The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH 2.0) is dismayed that the proclamation of emergency for Sarawak was lifted yesterday, paving the way for the Sarawak state election within 60 days, since the term of this State Legislative Assembly has already expired on 7 June 2021. With UNDI18 and Automatic Voters Registration (AVR) scheduled for implementation at the end of this year, there would be insufficient time for an estimated 666,000 Sarawakians who would otherwise be eligible to vote for the first time, many of whom are young voters.
Even though the expiry of the Sarawak emergency is not due until 2 February 2022, it would be reasonable to assume that the lifting of the the emergency by the YDPA after consultation with the Governor of Sarawak, to trigger the election was a politically calculation to disenfranchised young voters.


Such calculated move to try and gain political advantage could backfire on the GPS state government and the federal government when they have to face these same young voters in less than two years in the 15th General Election for federal seats.


We call on the EC to allow Sarawakians living in the Peninsula to vote without flying back to their constituencies. This can be done by categorizing them as absentee voters and allowed to vote in advance at mass voting centres, at least one in each state in Peninsula.
We also urge the Ministry of Health to work with the EC to facilitate safe voting and campaigning, instead of taking the draconian measures of banning all physical election related activities, as what was done for Melaka.
The EC must proactively facilitate alternative safe ways of election campaigning for all candidates and political parties, such as getting all state owned media, Radio and Television Malaysia (RTM), BERNAMA etc, to provide equal air time to all candidates and political parties to advertise their political campaigns on radio and television, hold debate of chief minister candidates and ensure fair news coverage for all candidates and political parties. This is extremely important especially in the interior areas of Sarawak where radio and television are the main source of information for the rakyat.


Released by,
Steering Committee of BERSIH 2.0


Kenyataan Media BERSIH 2.0
4 November 2021


PEMBATALAN DARURAT SARAWAK LEBIH AWAL TELAH MENAFIKAN PENGUNDI MUDA NAMUN JANGAN SAMPAI MENAFIKAN HAK PENGUNDI SARAWAK DI SEMENANJUNG


Gabungan Pilihan Raya Bersih dan Adil (BERSIH 2.0) kecewa dengan pembatalan proklamasi darurat Sarawak semalam, yang membuka laluan kepada Pilihan Raya Negeri Sarawak dalam tempoh 60 hari memandangkan penggal DUN telah tamat pada 7 Jun 2021. Dengan pelaksanaan UNDI18 dan Pendaftaran Automatik yang dijadualkan pada hujung tahun ini, 666,000 rakyat Sarawak tidak akan sempat untuk menjad pengundi kali pertama dan ramai daripada mereka adalah pengundi muda.


Walaupun tempoh darurat Sarawak sehingga 2 Februari 2022, adalah munasabah untuk mengandaikan bahawa pembatalan darurat oleh YDPA selepas perundingan bersama TYT Sarawak untuk mencetuskan pilihan raya adalah satu perkiraan politik bagi menafikan pengundi muda.


Tindakan sedemikian yang cuba mendapatkan kelebihan politik oleh kerajaan negeri GPS dan kerajaan persekutuan boleh memakan diri apabila mereka terpaksa berhadapan dengan pengundi muda yang sama dalam masa kurang dua tahun dalam Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-15 untuk kerusi persekutuan.


Kami menggesa SPR untuk membenarkan pengundi Sarawak di Semenanjung untuk mengundi tanpa perlu terbang ke kawasan masing-masing. Ini hanya dapat dilaksanakan dengan mengkategorikan sebagai pengundi tidak hadir dan membenarkan undi awal di pusat pengundian berpusat, sekurang-kurangnya satu di setiap negeri di Semenanjung.


Kami juga menggesa Menteri Kesihatan untuk bekerjasama dengan SPR bagi membantu pengundian dan kempen secara selamat, berbanding mengambil langkah draconian melarang semua aktiviti pilihan raya secara fizikal, sebagaimana yang berlaku di Melaka.


SPR perlu secara proaktif memberikan jalan alternatif yang selamat untuk kempen pilihan raya kepada semua calon dan parti politik, seperti mendapatkan semua media kerajan, Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), BERNAMA dll untuk menyediakan masa siaran yang sama rata kepada semua calon dan parti politik untuk mengiklankan kempen politik di radio serta televisyen, menganjurkan debat calon menteri besar/ketua Menteri dan memastikan liputan berita yang sama rata kepada semua calon dan parti politik. Hal ini sangat mustahak terutamanya di kawasan pedalaman Sarawak di mana radio dan televisyen adalah sumber utama maklumat kepada rakyat.


Dikeluarkan oleh,
Jawatankuasa Pemandu BERSIH 2.0

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