PUTRAJAYA, Nov 24 — The Election Commission (EC) has set up two enforcement teams to monitor campaign activities by candidates contesting the Padang Serai parliamentary seat in Kedah and the Tioman state seat in Pahang.
EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Salleh, in a statement today, said he hoped that campaigning activities in both constituencies will run in a harmonious atmosphere and in accordance with the stipulated laws and regulations.
The campaign period will end at 11.59pm on December 6, 2022, he added.
He said campaign materials that contain words that can develop ill feelings, discontent or have racial elements and touch on religious sensitivities or incite animosity are not allowed.
The nomination process for the 15th general election (GE15) for both seats ended at 10am today, with one new nomination paper submitted by a Pakatan Harapan candidate for the Padang Serai parliamentary seat and a candidate from Perikatan Nasional (PN) for the Tioman state seat.
Polling for GE15 in both constituencies was postponed following the death of one of the candidates vying for the two seats, namely M. Karupaiya of Harapan for the Padang Serai parliamentary seat and PN’s Md Yunus Ramli for the Tioman state seat.
The EC has set polling for both constituencies to be held simultaneously on December 7 and early voting on December 3.
Lawyer Dr Mohamad Sofee Razak, 47, is the Harapan candidate for the Padang Serai parliamentary seat who will be in a six-cornered fight against PN’s Datuk Azman Nasrudin. BN’s Datuk C. Sivaraj, Pejuang’s Hamzah Abd Rahman, Parti Warisan’s Mohd Bakhri Hashim, and Independent candidate Sreanandha Rao.
However, Warisan has announced pulling out of the race, but the candidate’s name would still appear in the ballot paper as the party is registered as one of the parties contesting for the Padang Serai parliamentary seat.
Meanwhile, PN has announced Nor Idayu Hashim as the coalition’s candidate for the Tioman state seat. She will be in a five-cornered fight against Pejuang’s Osman A. Bakar, Harapan’s Mohd Fadzli Mohd Ramly, BN’s Datuk Seri Mohd Johari Hussain, and Independent candidate Sulaiman Bakar.
— Bernama
