KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 14): Attorney-General (AG) Tan Sri Tommy Thomas (pictured) has clarified that a new electoral ruling does not require political parties to obtain police permits to carry out house-to-house campaigning and walkabouts, notwithstanding claims to the contrary by the Election Commission (EC) and police.

"This provision does not expressly refer to walkabouts and door-to-door campaigning. The words used in the provision cannot, under any circumstances, be interpreted to extend to walkabouts and door-to-door campaigning," Thomas said in a statement today.

As such, he expressed the need for clarification on the controversy surrounding the requirement for police permits for walkabouts and door-to-door campaigning by the six candidates and their parties in the Tanjung Piai by-election scheduled for Saturday (Nov 16).

"Apparently, the declaration by the police for the need for such police permits is based on Section 24B(3) of the Election Offences Act 1954," he said, but noted that "this provision does not expressly refer to walkabouts and door-to-door campaigning".

He added that it is a historical fact that since 1955, the said methods of appealing to the electorate are the ones most popularly used by candidates of all political parties, and without the need for such permits.

"It must be kept in mind that voting is a fundamental right expressly enshrined in the Federal Constitution.

"Since 1955, 14 General Elections and hundreds of by-elections have been held in order for our electorate to vote on their members of parliament and state assemblymen. Campaigning for these elections represents the heart of parliamentary democracy," he observed.

Yesterday, EC chairman Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun was reported to have said that all parties and candidates contesting in the Tanjung Piai parliamentary by-election are reminded to get a police permit to conduct house-to-house visits as they are also considered a form of campaigning.

Additionally, Azhar said the walkabout programme — also considered a mobile election campaign — must have a clear time frame and location for monitoring purposes.