Smartphones Banned From Polling Stations To Deter Corruption During #GE15
Voters will be required to surrender their smartphones when casting their ballots.
You will not be able to bring your smartphone with you when entering polling stations to cast your vote for the 15th General Election (GE15)
The news follows a new infographic released by the Election Commission (EC) on its social media platforms, which outlines 10 key steps you will need to take during the voting process on election day, November 19.
The sixth step details how voters will now be required to surrender their smartphones to the presiding officer, before heading to the voting booth to select their candidate of choice.
After voters place their vote in the ballot box, they will then be expected to return to the desk of the officer on duty to collect their smartphones before leaving the polling centre.
Image via @sprgovmy (Twitter)
News of this comes after former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad called on the EC to ban smartphones in polling stations for GE15 in order to deter corruption
According to him, there was a flaw in the existing voting system wherein political parties could potentially pay voters to cast their ballots for them, provided they were given photographic proof.
These voters could then use their smartphones to take pictures of their ballot papers as evidence of who they voted for.
Mahathir has since thanked the EC for heeding his advice to prohibit smartphones in voting booths
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