GE15: Prevent corruption, prohibit smartphone usage while voting – MCW

SHAH ALAM - Malaysian Corruption Watch (MCW) suggest prohibiting smartphone usage in all voting areas to prevent corruption.

Its President Jais Abdul Karim said irresponsible individuals would use their smartphones to take pictures of their ballots to claim payments from parties or candidates.

"The Election Commission (EC) and the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) need to enforce the ban on smartphone usage.

"This is because smartphones will become a tool that could enable corruption and goes against the Electoral Offenses Act 1954," he said in a statement on Monday.

Jais said the EC needed to prepare a warning notice regarding the usage of smartphones and prepare a place to store the phones in each voting centre.

"Individuals who bring their smartphones into the voting centres need to leave them outside to vote and could take it once again after voting.

"It is much better to leave the smartphone at home," he said.