POLITICAL parties involved in the Chini by-election are advised to adhere to strict standard operating procedure (SOP), although the country has now moved into the recovery phase of the movement-control order. 

Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob called on those contesting to avoid shaking hands or to be in a group. 

“I have seen pictures on Facebook and I would like to advise parties to remember to follow the SOP. 

“Avoid shaking hands or taking pictures in a group with no social distancing. Although we are in the recovery period, SOPs are still in place,” he said during his press conference in Putrajaya. 

The by-election is a three-cornered fight between Umno’s Mohd Sharim Md Zain 41, and two independent candidates – Tengku Zainul Hisham Tengku Hussin, 64, and Mohd Shukri Mohd Ramli, 49.a

It was necessitated by the death of BN assemblyman Abu Bakar Harun, 60, on May 7 due to a heart attack.

In the last general election, Abu Bakar retained the seat with a 4,622-vote majority when he polled 10,027 votes to beat PAS candidate Mohd Fadhil Noor, who obtained 5,405 votes, and Mohamad Razali Ithnain of PKR, who received only 1,065 votes. – June 29, 2020.