THE Election Commission (EC) has adopted a new approach to deal with Pakatan Harapan election campaign materials featuring its iconic chairman, by covering up Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s picture.

PH’s Ayer Hitam candidate Liew Chin Tong posted three photos showing EC officers pasting paper over Dr Mahathir’s face and his name on a billboard featuring the opposition’s message on fuel subsidies.

“The job of the EC now includes covering up Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s picture. Great! In Tanjong Piai now,” he posted earlier today.

Facebook user Josephine Wong commented sarcastically: “Thank you SPR (EC) for covering Tun’s face… But, people is not blind to see!!!”

Bernard Chia said EC was running out of idea and pulling childish acts that would only anger the people even more.

Said Ab Wahid said what the EC was doing would boost PH’s spirit to topple the BN government, adding the remark “otak tak ada” (brainless).

“By doing such an act, you are making the public hate the government more and thanks, it’s working!” Jamilah Hussin commented on Liew’s post.

The EC recently imposed new rulings that candidates are only allowed to use the photos of their party presidents and deputy presidents or their equivalent in their campaign materials, apart from their own photos. They are not allowed to display the images of other officials.

Following this new ruling, PH reported that EC officers in several states had cut out pictures of Dr Mahathir and PH de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim from a number of its billboards since the start of the election campaign.

Yesterday, Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein criticised the removal of Dr Mahathir’s photographs. He said if the billboards were unsuitable, the authorities could have had them removed. – May 2, 2018.