GEORGE TOWN, April 10 – It is all systems go for Penang police to face the Permatang Pauh by-election next month. State police chief Datuk Abdul Rahim Hanafi said a 2,000-strong police team will be deployed there to ensure a smooth by-election. “We are ready to perform our duties of ensuring safety and public order. “With the size of our team placed at various places, we are targeting a zero incident by-election, just like the previous Bukit Gelugor by-election.
“With the size of the police team deployed there, I hope the public will have confidence to go out and cast their vote and exercise their rights without fear,” he told a press conference at the Penang police headquarters here today. Abdul Rahim also advised political parties and supporters not to play up sensitive issues which could disrupt public safety and cause disharmony. He said police will be working round the clock from the day of nomination, campaigning period, end of the campaigning period, early polling day, polling day, during the counting of votes and announcement of the results.
He expressed confidence that the 2,000 police personnel deployed there will ensure the safety of the 71,890 registered voters. Abdul Rahim added that police will launch “Ops Payung” a week before the by-election where there will be 35 stations that have been identified as hotspots to be monitored by police. The Permatang Pauh by-election will begin on April 25 which is nomination day, early voting on May 3 and polling day on May 7.
The Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat, formerly held by in incarcerated opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim fell vacant after it was announced vacant by the Dewan Rakyat speaker. This was after the rejection of the royal pardon applied by PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail following Anwar’s sodomy case in which he was found guilty by the Federal Court and is currently serving a five-year jail term.
