KUCHING: Sarawak police have identified six “hotspots” in the state for the 15th general election (GE15).
Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Mohd Azman Ahmad Sapri said the areas involved mostly urban seats, such as Bandar Kuching, Stampin, Lanang, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri.
Apart from that, he said, police will be monitoring several seats with increase in voter numbers, namely Senadin and Lambir in Miri, Tupong in Petra Jaya as well as Santubong.
He said there was no police report lodged or unwanted incidents happened in the “hotspots” areas thus far, since the dissolution of Parliament.
“However, we will continue to carry out the responsibility of identifying “hotspots” areas as precautions,” he said after the flag off of Human Resource Assistance Senior Police Officers (BSM) in conjunction with GE15, at the Sarawak Police Contingent Headquarters (IPK), here today.
Based on the situation during the 12th Sarawak election in December last year, he said, the election was a peaceful process which went on smoothly, without any major issue.
Meanwhile, a total of 7,701 police personnel will be mobilised during the GE15 in Sarawak, where 3,667 police personnel will be stationed at the nomination stations throughout the state tomorrow.
He said the police will also prioritise and pay attention to the “hotspots” during campaign period and polling day.
Azman also reminded candidates, political parties and their supporters to avoid any form of slander, acts of provocation throughout the campaign period for the polls.
The Election Commission (EC) has set nomination for Saturday, early voting on Nov 15, and polling for the general election on Nov 19.
