Malaysia’s Election Commission on Tuesday (Apr 24) issued new guidelines relating to campaign materials for the 14th general election. Only images of party presidents and deputy presidents – or their equivalents – can be used on campaigning material. This effectively rules out pictures of Pakatan Harapan chairman Mahathir Mohamad on most posters and banners in campaigning for the May 9 polls – a move the opposition decried as a deliberate decision targeted at the 92-year-old former prime minister.
“Through impossible rules such as permits for campaign materials and the banning of Dr M’s images on Pakatan’s campaign materials, it aims to curtail his influence in GE14,” said Selangor state speaker and incumbent state assemblywoman Hannah Yeoh, who is from the opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP).
“An impartial commission should not be meddling or deciding what goes on or off the parties’ campaign materials.”
However, Dr Mahathir’s face can still be featured on posters in Langkawi in his capacity as a candidate for the parliamentary seat.
Full Article: Malaysia Election Commission’s new rules disqualify use of Mahathir’s face in campaign materials – Channel NewsAsia.