By Prof. Dr. Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi

And yet we hear another by-election is stopped or 'postponed' due to the so-called 'COVID Emergency'.

I have written many times that I am in total disagreement of suspending election by the use of emergency proclamations, because sooner or later that reason will be used to deny the rakyat of the one weapon that politicians fear the most: the general election.

I can feel it in my bones that my children will be denied their democratic future come 2023.

We seem to have an Election Commission which keeps saying it is dangerous to have election without any serious effort of thinking outside the box on how to have safe, fair and efficient pandemic-time election.

When the previous two by-elections were suspended, I had disagreed. Then the Sarawak election was suspended and I had disagreed even then. Now, the Kelantan election is also suffering the same fate.

We, the rakyat, have been raped and robbed mercilessly by those in power with issues such as changing the Speaker with questionable practices, with a one-day parliament without debate, with Emergency Ordinances not debated until today since January, with the words of YDP Agong being played like a football, with a prime minister who refuses to resign when the whole country knows of his lost majority, with an appointment of an 'assistant and adviser' with a minister's salary, with an Islamic envoy with minister salary that nobody knows his KPI, with the wholesale appointments of MPs to 70 ministerial posts and GLCs and finally the suspension of Parliament proceedings due to a 'sudden COVID-19 outbreak' which allowed many MPs converging at the PM's house while others are trapped to take tests.

Ayo-yo Malaysia, how much more can the rakyat take-lah?

Then we have the opposition denied entry into Parliament by the police and they are now investigated for having a peaceful demonstration.

Worse, we saw the police and DBKL denying entry of our children to demonstrate peacefully at a public square and their leaders are hounded by the same police for organizing what should be their democratic right, as I understand it.

Let's not forget the Hartal strike of tired doctors who were also treated like people threatening our peaceful society. Apa lagi PN mau?

I wish to remind my fellow citizens that election is the only sacred right that we have that these politicians understand and fear.

It is also our weapon that can change the civil servants who seem to not appreciate the true spirit of democracy.

When that is taken away from us, we are just lemmings walking to a certain doom one by one in a straight uninterrupted line.

I wish to propose the following election protocols and procedures to start with for a fair, safe and efficient election experience:

Firstly, there must be some new rules on campaigning as follows:

1. Campaigning period extended to 90 days.

2. No ceramah gathering, kenduri makan gathering, giving bicycles gathering or gathering to give 'salam berisi' packets of incentives.

3. Candidates can meet only 20 people at one seating for not more than one hour with social distancing and in a fully ventilated environment. The best is a tent outside a building.

All gatherings must be accompanied by the police or RELA unit to ensure strict SOP compliance.

4. All candidates will be accorded equal air time on public television and radio to expound their manifestos, promises and pledges, as well as forums, debates and talks.

5. The use of social media like Instagram, YouTube videos, Facebook postings is encouraged with proper decorum.

6. All print newspapers shall provide 10% free space in their broadsheet for all candidates throughout the 60-day campaign.

7. The Election Commission shall set up election booths in many far-off places to help voters wanting to know their candidates by battery-operated electronics media.

8. There is to be no procession to follow the candidates on the day of naming the candidates as the practice now. Each candidate is allowed an entourage of three persons only, no more.

During polling days, the following rules may be used:

1. Election day is extended over three days.

2. Election schedule is between 8 am to 8 pm.

3. Each voter will be assigned a two-hour window for voting only. Thus, if a candidate is supposed to cast his or her vote between 2 pm to 4 pm on a certain day, then that is the only time allowed for the person. Those who miss the date and time due to sickness must present their proofs.

4. All voting stations must be 100% ventilated with enough fans for voters who are waiting and for the officers in charge.

5. All public transport like buses, trains and MRT on these three days will operate for free and paid for by the government.

6. Mobile voting centers for far-off and inaccessible places must be made available by the EC.

7. All employers must give a paid holiday for the specific day that the workers have to vote. This is a sacred duty and employers must understand their responsibility to this nation so that we do not get robbers, liars and thieves as MPs.

Finally, I wish to say that it is of utmost importance that Malaysians protect their sacred right to vote.

We don't seem to have many rights left judging by the political administration and apathy of government institutions in this country. If we are not careful, this right will be taken away from us by an unscrupulous lot of politicians and civil servants that will turn this country into a cosmetic democracy but in reality it is an autocratic state.

So, my fellow Malaysians, defend our right to elections!

(Professor Dr. Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi is Professor at a local university.)