As the dust settles from the Sabah polls, it’s time to evaluate the health costs. One election candidate has tested positive for Covid-19 and a key party leader from Kuala Lumpur went into self-quarantine.
With the number of cases continuing to remain high in Sabah and with the influx of individuals from the peninsula for election-related reasons who will now be returning back home, many of us in the healthcare sector are more than a little concerned that there may be yet another surge in the number of cases.
The government, via the health ministry and other agencies, has already instituted a more rigorous screening process from Sept 27, including mandatory home quarantine for those travelling back from Sabah.
With the sudden winds of uncertainty blowing across the country (following the prime minister’s statement of a possible early general election following a victory in Sabah), one can see the early signs of election fever on social media pages and at local coffee shops.
However, there is serious concern that nationwide campaigning for a general election may lead to the rise of many virus clusters and maybe even a nation-wide outbreak.
In the case of the Sabah elections, many denounced the reasons for why it was held, out of fear of the rising number of Covid-19 cases. Some took the stance of being pro-human rights (in terms of freedom of choice and the right to elect representation) while others were pro-public health (worried about the virus spread).
Though the issue of whether or not the state elections should have been held is now moot, a similar question is on the minds of many: should a general election be called amid the Covid-19 pandemic?
Debate on the topic can be endless as there will always be those who are for or against it, but before any decision is made we can perhaps learn from the Sabah elections in terms of what was done right, what could have been done better and what we need to do in terms of preparing to run an election safely while at the same time lowering the risk of transmission of Covid-19.
What was done right?
The Election Commission rigorously ensured that multiple safety measures were in place at the election sites and at the same time accommodated the needs of symptomatic voters to ensure that their voting rights were not denied.
The election candidates also followed quarantine protocol by staying at home to avoid spreading the virus to others.
In preparing for a possible surge in Covid-19 cases, the health ministry also deployed personnel and personal protective equipment (PPE) to Sabah as well as continued its contact-tracing and containment strategies.
What could have been done better?
Many felt the mandatory quarantine for those returning from Sabah should have been put into place much earlier, especially since the number of cases in the state started to rise when the campaign period began. Some leaders and individuals returning home did go into self-quarantine, but for many, this was something they chose to ignore.
Physical distancing was not maintained or enforced while the candidates campaigned across the state. This was visible through numerous photos shared on news sites and social media.
What needs to be done?
Amid the many challenges that may arise due to the pandemic, postal voting is an essential mechanism which the EC needs to put into place before a general election is called as it will help keep the rakyat safe.
The recent Sabah elections saw a low voter turnout as many voters could not or did not want to travel to the state due to fear of the virus and concerns regarding the quarantine that would follow which would definitely impact their day-to-day activities.
A general election may similarly be affected if it is called without any systemic changes being made.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
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