WE’VE come a long way since the last state polls in Sabah, which was regarded as the main reason our country experienced the third, and most devastating wave of the Covid-19 epidemic to date.

Even though circumstances have changed, where our country has successfully inoculated the majority of the population by now, the Health Ministry (MOH) was still quick to issue a ban on election-related activities and gatherings for the coming Malacca polls weeks before nomination day, citing that it’s in line with the list of unauthorised activities (negative list) in the standard operating procedure under phase 4 of the National Recovery Plan, even ahead of the Election Commission (EC).