JOHOR BARU: The question of whether a Covid-19 positive woman should have been allowed to vote has been raised.

       While Bersih insisted that the voter's right could not be denied, the Johor Health Department stressed that Covid-19 positive patients must not leave their isolation premises to vote.

       The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) said that a Covid-19-positive voter in the Larkin constituency who was still under quarantine should not have been prevented from voting or issued a RM1,000 compound notice. The incident was also reported by Bernama on Saturday (March 12).

       "Bersih has consistently called on the Election Commission (EC) to facilitate voters who are Covid-19 positive or a person under investigation (PUI) or a person under surveillance (PUS) to vote as it is a right guaranteed under Article 119 of the Federal Constitution," said its steering committee in a statement issued on Sunday (March 13).

       Bersih called upon the female voter and all others who were similarly prevented from voting to contact them for legal assistance to take up a case against the EC and the Health Ministry.

       They urged such voters to contact them via email as soon as possible.

       State Health director Datuk Dr Aman Rabu told Bernama that an initial investigations found that the woman was a Category 2 Covid-19 patient.

       He said the compound notice was issued to the woman at about 11.45am on Saturday (March 12) by a Johor Health Department enforcement officer for being present at a polling centre despite being Covid-19 positive.

       "The department is committed to monitoring compliance with the standard operating procedures of the Johor state election.

       "We would like to remind that individuals who are positive for Covid-19 are prohibited from leaving their isolation premises to vote," he said.

       Dr Aman also said that those who failed to comply with the order are liable to be compounded under Regulation 16 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within Infected Local Areas) (Movement Control) Regulations 2021.