Dr M: 500,000 voters in S’pore may have problem returning to vote
Dr Mahathir Mohamad says during his time as prime minister, election day was always a holiday.
PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Harapan chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad said about half a million voters working in Singapore are in a quandary as polling day has been fixed for a Wednesday.
He said those who needed to travel home to vote would find it difficult and this would lower the voter turnout and benefit the Barisan Nasional.
He was commenting on the announcement by the Election Commission that nomination day had been fixed for April 28, early voting for May 5 and polling for May 9, a Wednesday.
“I think for the kampung people, they can come out, but for the people who are working they will find it difficult to vote.
“We have 500,000 workers in Singapore. They should be voting but they are deprived of their right to vote.
“This is very undemocratic. It is unusual to have it on Wednesday, the middle of the week, when most people are working and those abroad cannot come back.
“This is being done to cheat voters of their right to vote in this election,” he said at a press conference at the PPBM headquarters here today.
“During my time (as prime minister) election day was always a holiday because we did not want to prevent people from voting, which is their right.”
Alluding to the provisional deregistration of his party by the Registrar of Societies and the “refusal” to allow Pakatan Harapan to be registered, he said when he was prime minister, the opposition was allowed to participate in the election.
“During my time, two political parties which opposed me were formed and they were immediately allowed to be approved and allowed to participate in the election.”
Despite the likely disadvantage, Mahathir is confident of taking over Putrajaya.
“We will manage (with the 11-day campaign period); we can be everywhere. I can be at three places at one time.”
Mahathir declined to comment on rumours regarding where he would contest during the 14th general election.
“I will announce it soon. It’s not up to me to decide; the party committee will decide this. I have many choices because everywhere I go, the people love me because shortly after my visit, Najib will visit the same place with many gifts.”
A total of 222 parliamentary seats and 505 state seats are up for contest.
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