DAP will instruct its lawyers to look into the Health Ministry barring any activities, rallies or social gatherings related to the Malacca elections, Lim Guan Eng said.  

The DAP secretary-general said its legal team will study if such a ban and onerous restrictions of candidates meeting voters is lawful and in compliance with election rules and regulations. 

“If (Health Minister) Khairy Jamaluddin is indeed worried about the risk of new Covid-19 infections, he would not allow the elections in the first place. 

“Khairy dares not do so because he knows that this would be unlawful, which is why he is resorting to such unethical and partisan tactics to benefit the government,” he said in a speech at the launch of the party’s election machinery today in Malacca. 

Earlier today, Khairy said the decision to bar activities takes effect from tomorrow until November 27.

The state goes to the polls on November 20. 

He said the decision was made as the risk of transmission of Covid-19 is still high, and an increase in the number of new cases reported. 

Lim said the ruling parties in government may be fearful of facing the voters for causing the collapse of the Malacca government and the failure in administration, such as the Covid-19 outbreak and the economic recession. 

“But the government should not allow such fears of facing the voters to violate democracy and take over the role of the Election Commission (EC) to conduct the elections fairly, independently, freely and in an impartial manner.” 

He said that Khairy is taking over the role of the EC and making a mockery of democracy and the entire election process. 

“Khairy might as well run the entire election process and not the EC.  

“Khairy’s ban reminds us of a Malaysia under total lockdown. Now that Malaysia is reopening, why is there a total lockdown imposed in an election campaign? 

“Clearly this is a contradictory picture of one country, two systems. Why then allow an election to be held in the first place?” 

Lim added that DAP and Pakatan Harapan leaders will be meeting to discuss these unfair and undemocratic restrictions that are intended to handicap the opposition and facilitate an early advantage for the government. 

The Malacca legislative assembly was dissolved on October 4 after four assemblymen withdrew their support for Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali. 

The four are Idris Haron (Sg Udang), Nor Azman Hassan (Pantai Kundor), Norhizam Hassan Baktee (Pengkalan Batu) and Noor Effandi Ahmad (Telok Mas). – October 24, 2021.