Quick guide to rules concerning voter's address

KINIGUIDE There has been confusion and criticism as well as allegations of phantom voters after it was revealed that Johor Menteri Besar Khaled Nordin and a dozen others are registered as voters with the same address - the Pasir Gudang Umno division’s headquarters.

DAP’s Mengkibol state assemblyperson Tan Hong Pin had, last Sunday, lodged a complaint to the Election Commission (EC) in relation to hundreds of suspicious voters in Johor.

Khaled had however insisted that there was nothing wrong with registering as a voter using an office address, while Pasir Gudang Umno assistant secretary Noor Azleen Ambros revealed that DAP’s Teresa Kok also used the address of her service centre to register as a voter.

Citing EC rules, Kok however said that voters only have to be registered according to the address on the MyKad and that it is not necessary for one to also “sleep there”.

While both Khaled and Kok had registered as voters using their office addresses, the difference between the two is that the former is registered at the same address with many others, while Kok is the only registered at her former service centre.

So what is the problem about?

Electoral reform group Bersih’s chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah said the problem lies in both the National Registration Department (NRD) and the EC.

The NRD, she said, should have determined whether the respective addresses were indeed places of residence, while the EC should have a standard operating procedure not to accept voters with office addresses.

What does the EC say about the address of voters?

Form A - which is to be filled by those wishing to change their address on the voter list, under Regulation 12 of the Elections (Registration of Electors) Regulations 2002 - stipulate that the address must be the same as the MyKad address.

The EC, however, does not explicitly state whether the address must be a place of residence or otherwise as it points to the requirement that registering an address on the MyKad must be based on a place of residence only.

So can a voter have a different address on the MyKad and a different place to vote?

Some voters have remained with their original place of voting despite having moved to a new address.

This was possible for applications made before July 16, 2002.

As of the above-mentioned date, however, any application to change the address in the voter registry must follow the address stated on the MyKad.

How do voters change their place of voting?

Voters who plan to change the place where they vote must first apply to change their address at the NRD.

They must also bring the receipt issued by the NRD in relation to the change in address and go to any EC counter to apply to change their place of voting by filling in Form A.

They can also apply to change their place of voting at any state election headquarters or the EC headquarters in Putrajaya as well as at post offices equipped with computers.

And what about the NRD?

According to Regulation 15 of the National Registration Regulations 1990 (Amendment 2007), the MyKad address must be a place of residence.

Regulation 15 also states that a MyKad holder residing in a new place for more than 90 days must have this change of address reflected on the MyKad.

How does one change the address on MyKad?

One can go to any NRD counter and fill in the change of address form.

According to information on the NRD website, the provided address must be a permanent residential address in Malaysia.

“Addresses of the workplace, office, organisation or post office (PO) box are not allowed,” states the NRD on its website.

How does the NRD verify an address?

Although it is compulsory for one to register only his or her place of residence on the MyKad, information on the NRD website states that one must bring original documents and identity card.

It is not stated, however, what those original documents should be.

Since it is not specified, the NRD should require that an applicant bring other supporting documents to prove that he or she resides at the particular place by furnishing documents such as a sales and purchase agreement or a rental agreement as well as water and electricity bills.- Mkini