He said proposed protocols for the state elections had been submitted to the National Security Council and would also be submitted to the Election Commission, whose chairman, Abdul Ghani Salleh, said last week that he hoped Covid-19 restrictions would be eased for the Johor elections.

Speaking at a media briefing on Covid-19 today, Khairy said: “The ministry’s stance is that the elections can go ahead, given that Omicron, so far, has not shown a severe effect, unlike the Delta variant.”

He had stated earlier that the Omicron wave, in which new cases have passed 10,000 a day, is likely to peak at the end of March, according to mathematical models.

Daily Covid-19 cases have doubled from 5,566 infections on Feb 1 to 11,034 cases today.

The Election Commission is expected to meet on Wednesday to decide on the dates for nomination of candidates, and on when polling will be held.

Campaigning for the Melaka and Sarawak elections in November and December were severely curtailed for fear that public gatherings could lead to a spread of Covid-19.

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