PETALING JAYA: The Election Commission (EC) and the candidates should inform their voters about the earlier closing time so that people will not assume their stations would close at 6pm like most others, Prof Wong Chin Huat said yesterday.
The political scientist said polling centres that close early are normally small in electorate.
“In previous elections since Covid-19, the EC actually provided advice lists for voters to come at what time, which could have reduced the number of voters who turned up after closing, somehow this was not done,” Wong said.
He was commenting on the closing of some polling centres before 5pm in the Johor state election on Saturday.
When asked if the voters were aware of the early closing time of the polling stations, Wong said they were probably unaware the closing times were gazetted.
Wong said the EC website did list out the appropriate time slots for voters to go out and vote but it may not have reached a certain group of people.
“Voters would only know it by checking on the EC website. Hence it may not have reached the elderly, lowly educated or passive voters.
“Sometimes, the earlier closing time has to do with the remote location and transportation challenges, but not always the case,” he said.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar on Sunday pointed out that closing time of the polling centres had been gazetted at a certain time according to various factors, including the number of voters.
“There was a complaint from a woman who asked why her polling centre was closed at 2pm. I was informed the polling centre was to cater to only 170 voters and was gazetted to close at 2pm.
“So, it must be closed at that time, after 2pm the votes will not be taken into account. This is the law,” he said.
The EC has refrained from further commenting on this issue.