KUALA NERUS: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has set up a monitoring team to ensure that the 17th Sabah state election is conducted transparently and free from any abuse of power.
MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said the team consists of about 40 officers from the MACC headquarters to strengthen monitoring on the ground throughout the election period.
“We have already prepared and set up a team in the state (Sabah). I have also sent a team from the headquarters to monitor the election to ensure that the election process is not followed by issues of abuse of power, corruption or fraud.
“Sabah is vast and there are many areas that need to be monitored, which is why we set up a team. We also have a monitoring system to facilitate monitoring in all areas involved,” he told reporters after the Student Anti-Corruption Volunteer Corps (SUAR) Cadet Award Ceremony at Sultan Zainal Abidin University (UniSZA), here today.
Explaining further, Azam said the election operations room would be established in Kota Kinabalu as the main operations centre before being expanded to other districts.
He said the MACC was also be working with the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) in monitoring to ensure compliance with the Election Offences Act 1954.
“We are also working with other agencies, especially PDRM, to provide information. It should be remembered that not only does the MACC enforce the Election Offences Act 1954 but the PDRM also has the relevant powers, so cooperation between the two parties is very important,” he said.
On Oct 6, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor announced the dissolution of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly to pave the way for the 17th Sabah state election.
The Sabah assembly has 79 seats, with 73 of them contested, while the other six are appointed assemblymen.
The Election Commission (EC) has set Nov 29 as polling day for the 17th Sabah state election.
EC chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun said the nomination date has been set for Nov 15 and the early voting date for Nov 25. - Bernama