PUTRAJAYA, Sept 10 -- The Chini and Slim by-election guidelines will be adopted for the Sabah state election with several new additions, to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the new additions, currently being finalised by the Election Commission (EC), would be announced soon.

"The Chini and Slim by-election guidelines will still be used, for example, allowing only three people (for each candidacy) to enter during the nomination day, namely the candidate, proposer and seconder. 

"The operation rooms are permitted to open but they must report to the EC…while a large number of people for a ‘ceramah’ (talk) is not encouraged," he said at a news conference on the RMCO developments, here, today.

Seventy-three seats will be contested in the coming Sabah state election on Sept 26. Nomination is set for Sept 12  and early voting for Sept 22.

Ismail Sabri said the number of participants for each talk must not exceed 250, depending on the venue size, besides getting a permit from the police. 

"Temperature checks, the use of hand sanitiser and physical distancing while queueing are still a must.

"Voters with symptoms such as coughing, a sore throat and others will be separated to different tents for voting," he said.

Meanwhile, he said the Malaysia Day celebration on Sept 16 would be held in a closed stadium in Sibu, Sarawak and limited to 500 attendees from the federal and state governments.

"Today's meeting decided to limit the number of attendees and if you do not receive an invitation, please do not come as a strict SOP will be implemented and the programme duration is also limited," he said.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said beginning today, eateries, restaurants and 24-hour convenience stores would be allowed tp operate until 2 am.

"There have been many complaints, especially in tourism areas such as Langkawi, where the shops are closed after 12 midnight...so we give additional two hours for them to operate until 2 am.

"Besides that, foreigners are also allowed to pray in mosques, including Friday prayers, but they must adhere to the SOP," he said.

-- BERNAMA