In a statement, EC chairman Azhar Harun said walkabouts were also considered a form of campaigning and, as such, their times and locations should be made clear for monitoring purposes.
He said EC officials had met with the Pontian police chief to clarify and coordinate issues related to permits and campaigning rules where walkabouts are concerned.
“It was decided that the police will ask candidates and parties involved in campaigning to abide by several conditions which have been set,” he said, adding that campaign materials that are seditious and provocative and do not display the name and address of the printer will be removed.
Flags that are flown or hung at the side of the road which pose a danger to the public or obstruct the vision of road users will also be taken down.
“Permits are also needed for vehicles fitted with flags and loudhailers which are moved from one location to another.
“Such vehicles need to switch off the loudhailers or any recordings of campaigns while travelling and can only play them when the vehicle has stopped at a suitable campaigning location,” Azhar said, adding that these vehicles must not obstruct traffic, either.
He said the EC would publish statistics on election offences committed as well as police and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission reports lodged each day on the commission’s website and social media pages.
The announcement on police permits for walkabouts was met with criticism by two Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders who hit out against it at the Parliament lobby.
Bera MP Ismail Sabri Yaakob said he was unsure which law the EC was using for this ruling, adding that there were no such rules before.
“I don’t understand the EC,” he said. “What the EC does must be based on laws and acts, so I do not understand how this issue can arise in the Tanjung Piai by-election.”
Padang Terap MP Mahdzir Khalid meanwhile said BN had fulfilled the need for police permits for ceramahs but was surprised that permits were also needed for walkabouts.
“This is too extreme, the rules being applied. I think we have never had rules like this.
“We are just going to houses. Like today, I have the time to visit six homes, what do they need? I must report? Ask for permission? I think this is too rigid and illogical.”
He added that going door-to-door to ask for votes was normal.
“Where is Bersih, which supposedly fought for democratic election practices? Why are they silent?” he added.