KUALA LUMPUR: The Covid-19 outbreak in Sabah is a ticking time bomb that can lead to widespread infection in the state.
Medical experts expressed concern, saying the threat in Sabah was "very real" following the emergence of five active clusters and spike in cases.
The Sabah polls' campaign, which saw increased inter-state travel and public gatherings, had also become a cause for concern, which prompted a call for added measures in the interest of public health and safety.
Among others, the experts proposed the authorities implement alternatives to in-person voting, introducing staggered voting hours, conducting the polls over a couple of days, or extending polling time to 10pm.
These, they said, would avoid voter congestion, reduce population movement and ensure compliance with the standard operating procedures (SOP).
Malaysian Public Health Physiicians Association president Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar said the health of the state's population could be in danger.
"We take note of the government's assurance on the Covid-19 situation in Sabah and its advice for the public to remain calm. But this (recent spike in cases) poses a real risk.
"A wider spread could overstretch the healthcare system, frontliners and resources in the state.
"Besides, recent photos, videos and write-ups of the situation on the ground show that there are huge and intense public gatherings and campaigns in the state.
"The SOP and preventive measures seem to have been compromised," he told the New Sunday Times.
Dr Zainal, who is also a public health medicine and non-communicable disease epidemiology consultant, said the infection had spread within the local community.
"The outbreak is no longer confined to prisons or specific locations. Sabah shows evidence of community spread, affecting people in other government agencies, family members, and spread via social contact."
The government, he said, should ideally look into imposing the Targeted Enhanced Movement Control Order (TEMCO) or EMCO in the affected areas.
He said the polls could proceed by allowing postal voting to reduce interstate movement and travelling cost.
"Staggering voting hours will also lower the risk of Covid-19 transmission."
He also said the authorities were already facing a challenge in monitoring the high number of undocumented immigrants, especially from the Philippines, in Sabah.
"It is good if the government can consider conducting RTK-Ab tests in the community randomly with a proper sampling method to measure the real risk. And we can get real scientific evidence of the community disease spread."
Epidemiologist Professor Datuk Dr Awang Bulgiba Awang Mahmud said besides allowing postal votes, remote polling stations could be set up in the peninsula and Sarawak.
However, he said, even if such measures could be implemented, there were many logistical issues as polling day was a week away.
Another option, he said, was to stagger polling over a few days or to allow polling centres to close later at 10pm.
He said a thorough risk assessment was needed to determine the situation in Sabah before reaching a decision.
The move to quarantine travellers to the peninsula or Sarawak from Sabah after polling would depend on an analysis and assessment of the Covid-19 situation during the state election.
"If infections are proven to be localised and contained within detention centres or prisons during the election, then the infection risk would be low and quarantines would not be necessary.
"If there is evidence of widespread community transmission during the election, then quarantine for people travelling from Sabah to the peninsula and Sarawak may be necessary.
"The election is important for Sabah as it will hopefully provide political stability for its people. It affects so many other things, like the economy, livelihoods, education and family life."
Political analysts agreed with the call to put in place additional measures to prevent the spread of the pandemic.
Universiti Malaya's Associate Professor Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi said Covid-19 should not be used as a reason to postpone the state polls.
"The Sabah polls can be continued with a stricter SOP to prevent community infection.
"The Election Commission (EC) would have looked into the necessary measures to ensure a smooth and safe process.
"These concerns (over the public's safety amid Covid-19) are understood, but we need to trust the EC, Health Ministry and the government agencies involved.
"They would have discussed the matter to prevent the spread of Covid-19."
Malaysia, he said, could take heed from other countries that had successfully conducted elections amid the pandemic by implementing stringent safety and preventive measures.
"If South Korea, Singapore, Germany, Croatia and Iceland could do it, Malaysia can, too."
Universiti Utara Malaysia's Professor Dr Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani said postponing the polls was not an option after the dissolution of the state assembly.
"It is not an ideal way to have an election, but there is no other option. Other countries have conducted elections and even the United States is holding a presidential election."