2 Terengganu Candidates Allegedly Wore Outfits With Party Logos At Polling Stations
They allegedly breached the only dress code rule under the Election Offences Act 1954.
By Yap Wan Xiang — 19 Nov 2022, 05:50 PM
Two parliament candidates contesting in Terengganu allegedly wore clothes with their perspective party logos at polling stations, breaching the only dress code rule under the Election Offences Act 1954
When PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang showed up at SK Rusila Marang to cast his vote today, 19 November, the Marang candidate was spotted wearing a green vest with a party logo above his chest pocket.
Although wearing an outfit with the same colour as a political party colour is not against the law under Section 26(1)(g) of the Election Offences Act 1954, it is an offence to wear any article containing a party logo.
The provision stipulates that "no person shall on polling day — (g) within a distance of fifty metres from the limits of any polling station and in a polling station wear, hold or carry any form or type of clothing, head covering, ornament, rosette, water bottle, or umbrella on which the name of a candidate, or the name, emblem or symbol of any political party is printed or imprinted".
Bersih chairman Thomas Fann has condemned Hadi for breaching the law, urging the Election Commission (EC) and police to investigate the PAS president.
However, when The Star reached out to Hadi's press secretary for a comment, it was said that the logo was actually a 2018 programme logo by PAS, not their party's logo.
Meanwhile, Barisan Nasional's (BN) candidate for Kemaman, Datuk Seri Ahmad Said, was also spotted wearing an outfit with his party logo
Based on the photos published on his Facebook page, he was seen wearing a BN-blue collar shirt with the coalition logo blocked by a face mask placed in the chest pocket when he cast his vote at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Teluk Kalong.
The Star reported that Ahmad Said, who was Terengganu menteri besar between 2008 and 2014, was also wearing his campaign pin at the time.
If Hadi and Ahmad Said are found guilty under the provision, they may face imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, a fine of RM5,000, or both upon conviction.
Should they face a sentence under the Act and win their parliamentary seats in the 15th General Election (GE15), they run the risk of losing their member of parliament (MP) status under Article 42 of the Federal Constitution.
