EC explains code ‘71’

KOTA KINABALU, Aug 8 — The Election Commission (EC) today denied that many foreign workers have been included in the electoral rolls using the identification code of ‘71’ which referred to Malaysians born overseas.   

Its chairman, Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Yusof, said the matter should not have been disputed as to date only 171,023 registered voters were recorded as holding identification cards with that code.

Before 2001, code ‘71’ was used for Malaysians born abroad and foreigners who had obtained permanent resident status.

However, after 2001, all foreigners, who obtained PR, were no longer placed under code ‘71’; instead, the code used reflected their respective country of birth, such as 66 for Singapore and 61 for Indonesia.   

Abdul Aziz commented on the matter after certain quarters disputed the use of code ‘71’ purportedly to register foreign workers as voters after several names with code ‘71’ as the middle digits of their identification card number were detected on the electoral roll. 

He said that according to the EC’s master electoral rolls, there were 8,743 registered voters in Sabah and the Federal Territory of Labuan with code ‘71’ on their identification card and Selangor recorded the highest number with 32,485 people. — Bernama