Kuala Lumpur: The opposition bloc has filed a parliamentary motion to debate the controversial police permit rule for door-to-door campaigning for the Tanjung Piai parliamentary by-election.
Its leader, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, said Tanjung Karang MP Tan Sri Noh Omar had sent a motion to debate the matter tomorrow to the Speaker’s office.
“It’s up to his discretion whether he wants to accept the motion or not.
“But Pengerang MP (Datuk Seri Azalina Othman) will also be asking this during question time,” he said in a joint press statement with 20 opposition MPs from Barisan Nasional, Pas and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
The permit requirement was announced by the Election Commission (EC) yesterday.
Ismail Sabri also said the opposition bloc had contacted its lawyers and was planning to challenge the EC in court, in what they claimed was an unlawful move to bar freedom to campaign.
Earlier, Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan reportedly said he had texted EC chairman Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun over the ruling, and he was told it was the police’s decision.
Pas deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said EC should take action against those who committed election offences such as giving out money, announcing government projects and abusing its machinery, instead of putting up unreasonable regulations.
“Is it possible to ask for permits whenever you visit each house?
“How many hundreds of permits can the police issue?”
The by-election on Saturday will see a six-cornered fight involving Pakatan Harapan candidate Karmaine Sardini, Datuk Seri Dr Wee Jeck Seng (Barisan Nasional), Wendy Subramaniam (Gerakan), Datuk Dr Badhrulhisham Abdul Aziz (Berjasa), as well as independent candidates Dr Ang Chuan Lock and Faridah Aryani Abdul Ghaffar.