The SPR has announced smartphones are not allowed inside the polling rooms

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In conjunction with the upcoming election in Malaysia, the Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya Malaysia (SPR) has released a 10 Steps chart online to ensure proper voting measures. It is noted that the usage of mobile phones is prohibited.

From the image, it happens at step number six where the voter goes to the polling room. Before going to the ballot box, the voters must place their smartphones on the director's desk before drawing their ballots. After ticking the ballot, the voters can return to the desk to get back their devices.

The reason for preventing smartphones for this upcoming election is that in the past, former Prime Minister Tun Tun Mahathir Mohamad mentioned that voters received bribes from the party they voted for. In order to prove the votes, they used their phones to take a picture and send it to the party. Hence, the ban on using phones during voting is aimed at reducing electoral bribery.

Here is the translation of the 10 steps to vote properly at any station:

  1. Enter the polling room with permission from the police station at the entrance to the polling room
  2. Submit your IC or voter checklist to the First Polling Secretary and let him or her check your hands
  3. The first polling secretary will submit your identification to the second polling secretary for verification. Make sure your names and IC number are correct when called out by the first polling secretary
  4. Move to the second polling secretary, and as directed by the second voting secretary, dip the index finger of your left hand into the bottle of election ink. When your index finger is dipped in ink, the first voting secretary will mark your name on the voter register
  5. Get the ballot from the third voting secretary
  6. Go to the polling room and place your phone on the director's desk
  7. Go to the ballot box, and use a pen to draw an X in the blank box next to the candidate on the ballot paper. Just pick one candidate
  8. Place the ballot paper in the correct ballot box
  9. Go back to the polling room and get your phone back
  10. Leave the voting room as soon as you have finished voting

As a friendly reminder, the Malaysia election day will be held on 19 November 2022. Vote for the right people for the right job, and stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.