BERSIH has voiced its unease over the involvement of the Sarawak disaster management committee in drafting the health and safety standard operating procedure (SOP) for the state elections.

The coalition of civil society organisations seeking free and fair elections slammed the Election Commission for delegating the task, calling in an “abdication and dereliction of duty that puts “the principle of a level-playing field during elections at risk”.

“Now is not the time for EC to delegate its duties and constitutional responsibility to state agencies that have no expertise and legal standing to conduct elections,” Bersih Sarawak chairman Anne Teo said.

She referred to the constitutional responsibility mentioned in article 113 of the Federal Constitution, which states the EC is mandated to conduct elections.

That, Teo said, includes the drafting and setting of SOP.

“Other agencies, be they federal or state, can and should only be consulted by the EC to come out with suitable and appropriate SOP to reduce the risks of Covid-19 infection.”

Teo said to get the caretaker state government to take over the role of the EC in coming up with the SOP also constitutes a conflict of interest when the state government is also participating in the same elections.

She asked if the resultant SOP would ensure free and fair elections for all all parties and voters.

“Will it uphold the integrity of the process and make the elections as inclusive as possible so that all categories of voters can participate in it?”

“EC should be the primary body that writes the rules of the game, not civil servants of a caretaker government, and certainly not the state government itself.” – November 30, 2021.