THE Election Commission should reject conditions set by the police that require permits for door-to-door campaigning by election candidates, Bersih 2.0 said.

The election watchdog group said the conditions set by the police were not based on the law and violated candidates’ freedom to campaign.

“There has never been such a restriction in the history of elections in Malaysia. 

“The EC, as the highest body for elections management, should reject it,” Bersih’s steering committee said in a statement today.

It said the police should not go beyond the scope set out in the Elections Offences Act 1954, whereby police permits are only necessary if a candidate is organising a meeting, rally or if speeches or lectures are involved.

Door-to-door campaigning is not covered under this requirement and the short campaign period makes it unreasonable and unfair for candidates to wait for permit approvals, Bersih added.

EC chairman Azhar Azizan Harun had yesterday announced new licencing requirements set by the police for candidates in the Tg Piai by-election in Johor. 

Azhar had said it was not the EC’s decision as police had set the conditions, while the commission’s task was only to manage elections.

Voting is only three days away, but police have decided that permits are needed for walkabouts, including door-to-door canvassing for votes.

Johor police chief Mohd Kamarudin Md Din had told The Malaysian Insight last night that this was to prevent clashes between supporters of rival parties.

Bersih, however, said the police’s rules were unnecessary, “more so when the rules are set midway of the campaigning period”.

Going by the fact that police permits are no longer needed for public rallies under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, the provision in the Elections Offences Act 1954, whereby police permits were needed for rallies with speeches, should also be abolished, it added. – November 13, 2019.