Admiral Ahmad Kamarulzaman Ahmad Badaruddin told members of the navy to vote wisely. “Don’t be influenced by any incitement that can affect our decision. Use your wisdom. Vote based on facts, observations, achievements and our own experiences. Remember, our vote is secret,” he said in a statement which was carried on the Royal Malaysian Navy’s Facebook page today.
Most members of the armed forces are granted early voting privileges and will cast their votes on Saturday.
Yesterday, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, chairman of Pakatan Harapan, said he had written a personal letter to the respective chiefs of all three branches of the armed forces, to express his “hope that members of the armed forces will vote freely and without restraint” from any quarters.
Last week, it was reported that Mahathir had also written an open letter to the police force.
In that letter, he had expressed hope that the police, and the military, will not partake in any form of violence upon the order of the prime minister, if a state of emergency is declared, after GE14.
“If that happens, the country’s democracy will be destroyed.
“The rakyat has the rights to demonstrate peacefully. But there is a possibility that they will be ‘roughed up’ by the security forces or certain individuals. If that happens, a peaceful demonstration can turn into chaos,” he said in the letter.
He also urged the police personnel and their families to vote freely, without fear or favour.
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