The claim of `competence’ however cannot cover up the fact that these DOs and Council presidents works under the politicians who run in elections where they serve as returning officer. So how dare they find their bosses wrong-as reflected by the fact that the EC hardly enforce any election law in almost all the elections. If ever they do only the Opposition candidates are targetted! So much for `competence’! In some other countries eg Bangladesh, more independent judicial officers are appointed as ROs.
All Returning Officers in Sarawak competent, EC
KUCHING, Feb 21 (Bernama) — All 71 returning officers appointed for the next Sarawak state election are competent as they are qualified and experienced officials, said Election Commission chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof.
He said the returning officers, who would be assisted by 159 assistant returning officers, were well versed with the Election Commission Act and regulations pertaining to nomination and polling.
A total of 21,000 election workers will be deployed to man 1,740 polling stations and 2,561 voting streams, he told reporters after attending a briefing on the Sarawak 10th state election for returning officers from Kuching Zone here
today.
He said briefings for returning officers from Sibu Zone would be conducted on Wednesday and that of the Miri Zone on Friday.
He said the Election Commission allocated RM45 million for logistics and deployment of 24 helicopters, 63 speedboats, 919 longboats and 4,124 four-wheel-drive vehicles.
“Although we are 65 per cent prepared for the state election, we are ready to swing into action if a snap election is called,” he said, adding that the term of the present state assembly will expire on July 24. – BERNAMA
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No opposition party or parties will be able to topple Taib and company from the Sarawak state government. Why? They don’t have the cohesive strength to do so. They are preoccupied with internal and external fighting among themselves. The Pakatan Rakyat is a very loose alliance which has no common denominator. DAP, PKR and PAS are poles apart in their ideologies approaches and agendas except in their common intent of toppling the BN government. State based SNAP is trying to see how much it is still accepted by the people after the party was reinstated following its deregistration by ROS. But I sense that it has lost much ground because the present leadership are not accepted by even their hard-core supporters forcing some of them to abundant ship or turn fence-sitters. Not many of their erstwhile members still proudly declare themselves as SNAP members. The new PCM led by Adit is still not taking root in Sarawak. Adit should consolidate his strength in Ngemah before trying to spread his wings statewide to ensure his victory there.
So the way I see it, Taib and company will still be around either we like it or not. The political scenario won’t change much.