Discuss, Study Innovation System To Ensure Smooth Election Process - UMS

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 20 (Bernama) -- The need to discuss and study measures to improve innovation in the electoral system in Sabah must be made an important agenda to ensure the democratic process runs more smoothly in the future.

Prof Dr Asmady Idris, the dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), said that processes such as voter identification, currently done using identity cards, could be enhanced with the latest innovations for more efficient and thorough identification.

However, he explained that the innovations to be implemented must be studied and discussed in detail, including the security aspects, to ensure the innovations can truly assist the electoral process effectively.

"Such innovations are in line with current global demands… we can discuss this at a seminar later, we are willing to assist… in fact, we have funds for this already,” he told Bernama at UMS here today.

Earlier, he officiated at the closing of the Sabah State Election: "Halatuju Politik Sabah" (Sabah Political Direction) Seminar here, which was also attended by the head of the Research Unit, Election Research Studies and Borneo Geopolitics (GeoPES), Dr Eko Prayitno Joko.

Asmady also emphasised the importance of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) elements, particularly in terms of the state's development through the state government elected after the 17th state polls.

He said the SDG was crucial in the context of Sabah because any change in leadership or government should not be an obstacle to continuing the previous development programmes.

"This is the issue in Sabah… when the leader or the party is no longer in power, there is no succession plan to continue what has been implemented. When we have the SDG, everything will be in place for us to continue all the plans,” he said.

Polling has been scheduled for Nov 29, with early voting on Nov 25.

For the latest news on the state election, visit https://prn.bernama.com/sabah/index.php.

-- BERNAMA