ALL parties and candidates contesting the Tanjung Piai parliamentary by-election are reminded that police permit are needed for house-to-house campaigning as they are considered a form of campaigning.

Election Commission (EC) chairman Azhar Azizan Harun said walkabouts, which are also considered mobile campaigning, must have a clear timeframe and location for monitoring purposes.

He said all parties or candidates involved were reminded to comply with  campaigning regulations, particularly involving permit application.

“Yesterday, a meeting was held between EC officials and Pontian OCPD and his officers to coordinate and clarify issues concerning campaigning permits and regulations, especially with regard to the walkabout programmes held by all candidates or parties contesting in the election.”

Azhar said campaign materials that were seditious and provocative in nature and did not have the name and address of the printers would be brought down.

He said flags placed by the roadside that hampered or endangered the public would be removed.

Azhar said the EC and police outlined regulations on the use of party flags as well as campaigning using vehicles.

He said action would also be taken if flags hung on vehicles endangered the public.

“Campaigning vehicles that were installed with flags and loudhailers and moving from one place to another place must apply for campaigning permit from the police.

Azhar said the EC would report statistics on offences and on the number of reports to police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will be published on Facebook, Twitter and the EC website every day throughout the by-election period.

The EC has fixed Saturday as polling day for the Tanjung Piai by-election which will see a six-cornered fight involving the Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Karmaine Sardini, Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Wee Jeck Seng, Wendy Subramaniam (Gerakan), and Dr Badhrulhisham Abdul Aziz from Barisan Jemaah Islamiah (Berjasa) as well as two Independent candidates – Dr Ang Chuan Lock and Faridah Aryani Abd Ghaffar.

The by-election is held following the death of the incumbent MP Dr Md Farid Md Rafik, 42, on September 21 due to heart complication.

In the 14th general election (GE14) the late Dr Farid won with a majority of 524 votes to beat Wee (BN-MCA) and Nordin Othman (PAS). – Bernama, November 12, 2019.