PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has called on the Election Commission (EC) to ban physical campaigning during the upcoming Melaka state election to prevent another surge in Covid-19 cases.

       The EC has yet to announce whether physical campaigning will be permitted for the polls.

       MMA president Dr Koh Kar Chai said all campaign activities should be done virtually in the interests of the people because “we are still not out of the woods”.

       “We strongly advise against the traditional way of political campaigning as any physical, face-to-face meetings between politicians and the people can lead to increased close contact and the spread of Covid-19 in the state and even nationwide now that interstate travel is allowed.

       “In the best interests of the people’s health and safety, the ‘old norm’ of political campaigning, which involves house visits, gatherings and ceramah, should be avoided.

       “We may be in the recovery phase but we are still not out of the woods.

       “Therefore digital or virtual platforms should be used to campaign in order to prevent another surge in Covid-19 cases,” he said in a statement yesterday.

       Dr Koh added that if politicians truly have the best interests of the people at heart, they should show it by choosing campaigning channels that are safe and will not put the people at risk.

       He noted that even though the national vaccination rate is at over 90%, the virus is still spreading among the fully vaccinated, who could transmit the disease to high-risk individuals and children below 12 who cannot be vaccinated yet.

       Citing last year’s Sabah state polls that caused the third wave of Covid-19 in the country, Dr Koh cautioned that it may be insufficient to have just strict standard operating procedures in place.