In the statement, EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof advised all parties, including candidates, party supporters, party workers and voters to abide by the law, regulations, code of ethics and instructions issued by the EC and the police to ensure a smooth, peaceful, calm and the best by-election ever held.
He said the EC had appointed local observers to monitor the various stages of the election, from voting, vote counting and vote tally.
On the use of indelible ink, Abdul Aziz said voters would be required to dip their left index finger into the ink bottle provided by the EC.
“Voters who refuse to dip their finger in the bottle ink will not be given the ballot papers,” he added.
He said voters who arrived to cast their votes would have their left index fingers checked to ensure they were free of any traces of the ink.
Voters could request for a replacement of their ballot paper from the officer-in-charge of the polling station if the one issued to them earlier were smeared with the ink, he said.
However, Abdul Aziz said the replacement ballot paper would be given only if the officer was satisfied that it was not smeared intentionally.
Abdul Aziz also advised all quarters to not harass or obstruct voters who wanted to exercise their rights.
As for voters in Kuala Besut who had moved elsewhere and changed their addresses on their identity cards, but did not apply to EC to change the address of their polling station, they were still registered voters in Kuala Besut, he added.
Abdul Aziz said the campaign period for the Kuala Besut by-election would end at 11.59pm on July 23 and no campaign activities would be allowed on polling day.
He said eight polling stations with 35 polling streams would be opened, adding that the polling stations would be opened at 8am until 5pm, except the polling centre at Sekolah Kebangsaan Pulau Perhentian which would close at 3pm.
In view of Ramadan, official announcement on the result of the by-election would be made, the earliest, at 10pm, he added.
– BERNAMA
