MINISTERS will be told not to “circumvent” the standard operating procedure (SOP) during the Malacca polls, de facto Law Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said today.

The minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) was responding to Saifuddin Nasution Ismail’s (Kulim Bandar Baharu-PH) supplementary question on whether there will be double standards in the enforcement of SOP, where ministers could campaign on the pretext of being on official engagements.

Assemblies related to the Malacca polls have been banned until November 27. The state votes on November 20.

“I take the suggestion into consideration and I will raise this issue in the upcoming cabinet meeting and ask ministers not to circumvent the Health Ministry (MOH) and National Security Council’s (NSC) SOP, which is implemented by the Election Commission (EC),” Wan Junaidi said.

The Santubong MP said the government does not practise double standards and the situation got out of hand during the Sabah elections last year due to activities of “political activists”.

He added that the EC will announce the SOP for the Malacca polls before the nomination date.

Wan Junaidi said the EC is working with the MOH and the NSC to come up with the SOP, which will strike a balance between upholding democracy through elections and the safety of the people.

There will be 248 voting centres and 1,156 voting stations in Malacca.

The EC has also increased the voting stations to ensure social distancing is adhered to, he said. – October 26, 2021.