KUCHING: Employers in Sarawak should give their workers reasonable time off this Saturday (Dec 18) to go and vote in the state election, says a state-based civil society organisation.

       Rise of Social Efforts (Rose) also called on the state secretary to declare Dec 18 a special public holiday to further promote the exercise of voting rights by Sarawakians.

       The NGO said many business establishments in Sarawak remained operational on Saturdays and not all workers had a day off on Saturday.

       It also said individuals from rural areas who worked in Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu, Miri and other towns would need time off from work to go home to vote if their polling address was still located in their home villages.

       "Currently, there are no provisions for any kind of remote voting by the Election Commission (EC) for them," Rose said in a statement on Tuesday (Dec 14).

       The NGO noted that Section 25(1) of the Election Offences Act states that every employer should allow voters in their employment a reasonable period time off for voting on polling day without deducting their pay.

       As such, it said Sarawakian employers and businesses could do their part to uphold democratic participation by allowing their employees to take time off work to vote.

       "This is especially needed because we are voting at a time when everyone acknowledges that having a good, transparent and accountable government and policies are necessary for managing the effects of the pandemic.

       "A functional democracy is needed for businesses to build back better in the new norm and be competitive again," Rose said.