THE official decision on using secondary schools as voting centres for the Johor elections on March 12 will a made after a meeting between the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Election Commission (EC) in Putrajaya today.

Deputy Education Minister II, Mohamad Alimin said if the EC decided to use these schools for the upcoming elections, MOE would accept it as it is in accordance with the Elections Act 1958.

“We understand that during the Johor elections, some of the school buildings, including the classrooms, will be used for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, but we will ensure a safe situation.

“We at MOE will be asking all the parties involved in the elections, including the EC, to help ensure that there will be no risk, especially to the SPM examination candidates,” he told reporters today.

Mohamad said the MOE would also ask that all parties involved in the voting process during the Johor polls to help ensure a smooth SPM examination which would be held from March 2 to 29.

“We at the MOE also hope that the standard operating procedure (SOP) be enhanced to prevent the spread of Covid-19 among the SPM candidates,” he added.

The MOE had earlier asked for the EC’s cooperation for secondary schools in Johor not be used as voting centres so as not to disrupt preparations made for the national examination.

The EC has set March 12 for polling in the Johor elections and the nomination of candidates to be on February 26. – Bernama, February 22, 2022.