State polls: Bersih urges EC to allow postal voting application

 

Bersih called on the Election Commission (EC) to immediately allow eligible voters to apply for postal voting for the upcoming elections in six states.

This, according to the electoral reform group, will allow more voters to apply and likely raise voters' turnout rate for the state polls.

"The EC need not wait until all the states have dissolved their respective state assemblies before opening up applications for postal voting, especially for category 1B voters who are Malaysian citizens living abroad such as students and those working abroad.

"It should be noted that the number of category 1B postal voters increased by 600 percent from 7,979 in the 14th general election (GE14) to 48,109 in the 15th general election (GE15)," the group's steering committee said in a statement today.

Bersih noted that EC has the constitutional responsibility to ensure that every eligible citizen is given reasonable voting access to exercise their responsibility as Malaysian citizens.

The group also called for the postal voting facility to be extended to health and safety personnel working in the private sector, such as private hospitals, who will be on duty on polling day.

"Bersih also received many complaints during GE15 of election workers such as clerks and presiding officers of polling stations, not being able to vote by post despite having registered as postal voters and were unable to vote on election day because they had to be on duty.

"Such incidents should not be repeated in the upcoming state elections."

Six states will go to the polls soon, namely Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Penang. - Mkini