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PUTRAJAYA – The 15th general election (GE15) and the Bugaya state by-election are estimated to cost RM1.01 billion, said Election Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Salleh.
He said a total of 363,515 workers will be on duty, at 8,958 ordinary polling centres comprising 38,348 polling stations, and 578 early voting centres comprising 970 polling stations.
“In total, there will be 9,536 polling centres with 39,318 polling stations and channels,” he told a press conference after chairing a special EC meeting on the polls here today.
Ghani said the EC has appointed 222 returning officers and 1,264 assistant returning officers to handle GE15 and the Bugaya state by-election.
“To monitor election campaign activities throughout the official campaigning period, the EC will set up 625 election campaign enforcement teams which will comprise police personnel, representatives from the local authorities, and the contesting candidates’ representatives,” he said.
He said a total of 222 nomination centres and 222 official vote counting centres would be utilised.
Ghani said candidates intending to contest in GE15 and the Bugaya state by-election are urged to check with the state election office or office of the returning officer in their respective areas on the filling of nomination forms before nomination day on November 5 to facilitate the nomination process.
He also advised prospective candidates to pay the deposit early to ensure that all processes run smoothly.
“We wish to remind that nomination forms completed and checked by the office of the returning officer must be submitted either by the candidates, their proposers, or seconders on nomination day at the designated centre," he said
Ghani said the EC will continue to broadcast the election processes via livestream for selected polling centres and stations on its Facebook page, as done previously.
He said the EC is also inviting government agencies, non-governmental organisations, and other interested parties to act as observers of the polls processes starting from the nomination of candidates until the election results are announced.
“Applications to be election observers were opened on October 11 and will close on October 21,” he said, adding that applications could still be submitted via e-mail to pemerhati@spr.gov.my.
Ghani said to encourage electors to cast their vote on polling day, the EC will run the “Let’s Vote” campaign through various media channels and banners installed at strategic locations.
The EC today announced that Malaysians will go to the polls on November 19, with nomination date on November 5 and early voting on November 15. – Bernama, October 20, 2022