KUALA LUMPUR: The government cannot restrict anyone from travelling inter-district or interstate to vote in the Batu Sapi by-election, scheduled to be held next month, says Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He said the right to vote was guaranteed in the Federal Constitution and all individuals must be able to cast their votes by adhering to the standard operating procedure (SOP) set by the Election Commission (EC) to curb the spread of Covid-19.
“If we impose restrictions, it is against the Constitution and they (voters) can challenge it in court for restricting their freedom to vote.
“So, those who work in Kuala Lumpur but originate from Batu Sapi must be allowed to return to vote and come back, but the SOP will be tightened to avoid a spike in (Covid-19) cases as what happened during the Sabah state election,” he said at a press conference on developments of the recovery movement control order (RMCO), here, today.
He said the new SOP for the Batu Sapi by-election which would to be held on Dec 5 had been prepared in line with the increase of Covid-19 cases but it still required improvement. – Bernama
