AFTER much speculation, the Election Commission (EC) has announced that Malacca will be going to the polls, after all. Nomination day will be on November 8th and Malacca folk will cast their ballot 12 days later. 

By most accounts, this is the right thing to do. It sends all the right signals: politically, economically, socially and medically. 

We have been, after all, pursuing a “freedom with vaccination” narrative since the middle of the pandemic, or late last year.

Our hopes for a breakthrough with drop in infections, the ability to return to work, crossing state borders, travel and so on had hinged upon our capability to achieve higher vaccination rates. 

With the national adult vaccination rate at 93.8% and Malacca’s adult vaccination rate at 91.4%, most within the theoretical six months’ maximum efficacy window it is the best and safest time to conduct the polls, at least from what the science and numbers have been telling us. 

It coincides as well, with everything else “opening up”. If a vaccinated adult is capable of working full hours in his or her regular office, visiting holiday destinations, strolling at shopping malls or enjoying a coffee or film, there’s no reason a half an hour visit to the polls would significantly increase their Covid-19 risk profile. 

Malacca’s relatively small size and population, makes it an ideal staging ground for an election with new normal standard operating procedures (SOP).

Apart from easier crowd control and monitoring, enforcement too becomes more manageable, and mobilisation and relocation of manpower between localities will be minimised due to its geographic ease.

Statistically, too, Malacca’s hospitals have the second lowest ICU occupancy in the country. 

The situation today is a far cry from Sabah’s mistake one year ago. 

It would also send the right message about democracy: that a vote is still worth something, that the mandate of the people is not something to be trifled with, and that recalcitrant politicians cannot hide behind dire circumstances for too long, and must face their electorate. 

However, holding elections safely would of course mean modifications to the usual pre-polling, polling and post-polling activities. 

The EC may want to promote online campaigning instead, perhaps by roping in experienced bodies like the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.

Much of campaigning is already taking place online, and that would enable speakers to cover wider voter bases without the need of logistics and the encumbrances that accompany it. 

We could also explore e-voting, which has been implemented in some countries, including India, Brazil, France, the United Arab Emirates and Australia.

With an overwhelming percentage of new voters coming from the below-25 category, lack of access or familiarity to technology is fast becoming a dying excuse.

Lesser printed campaign materials mean lesser costs both for printing and clean-up.  

Malaysia too, appears to be heading in the right trajectory. Nationwide, numbers are down and the infectivity rate of states recording near target are below 1.0, and declining.

We are heading to an endemic phase of managing Covid-19, and our focus should be returning to previous business, social, economic and governmental activities, in a safe and gradual manner. 

However, to do so without heeding the costly lessons we should have learnt, would be a mistake. 

So, failing to consider the opportunity costs involved, should we ignore the catalyst push Covid-19 has provided us both in terms of budget and the readiness of businesses and the public alike to embrace technology. 

A successful poll in Malacca would be the welcome signal Malaysia needs to show the world. We have gotten a grip – be it on our pandemic handling, our local politics and our social SOP management. – October 20, 2021.

* Emmanuel Joseph firmly believes that Klang is the best place on Earth, and that motivated people can do far more good than any leader with motive.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.