Implement remote voting for out-of-state East Malaysians, EC told

 

Some 500,000 East Malaysians live in Peninsular Malaysia, but under present law those eligible to vote must travel to their home constituencies to cast their ballots.

PETALING JAYA: The Election Commission (EC) has been urged to take proactive steps to allow East Malaysians residing in the peninsula the right to cast their ballots without having to travel to their home constituencies.

Sarawak minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah called for the EC to consider implementing remote electronic voting, adding that the facility would also enable West Malaysians working and studying in Sabah and Sarawak to carry out their voting obligations.

Karim said there was no reason for Malaysians to doubt the efficacy of an electronic voting system.

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“I personally believe that the time has come for the EC to look into electronic voting. If we can have faith in online banking, why not electronic voting if there is a check and balance mechanism in place?

“This would definitely create a lot of convenience for voters to be able to vote. We keep reminding eligible voters to go out and vote, but we are not improvising the system so eligible voters can exercise their rights as citizens and vote,” he told FMT.

Meanwhile, Warisan deputy president Darell Leiking said the EC must extend its postal voting facilities to enable East Malaysians living in the peninsula to exercise their right to vote.

“With the significant amount of funds allocated to the EC, and having close to four to five years to prepare themselves, I don’t see a problem with them creating a specific task force that ensures the postal voting process meets international standards,” he told FMT.

Presently, postal voting is restricted to EC staff, military personnel, members of the media and Malaysians living overseas.

In 2021, Bersih said there were an estimated 250,000 Sarawakians living in West Malaysia, while Warisan president Shafie Apdal previously said around 300,000 Sabahans live in the peninsula.

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Leiking also called for a mechanism to be put in place requiring all citizens to cast their votes.

“We should also consider measures that make it obligatory for citizens to deliver their votes. Some countries require (their citizens) to exercise their right to vote. I think we should consider the same,” the former federal minister said.

He argued that this would significantly improve voter turnout and potentially influence voting patterns.

“If you look at the trends, voters from outside the state or constituency seem to sway the vote when they go back to their constituencies (to cast their ballot).”

However, Council of Professors fellow Jeniri Amir said it is unlikely that issues prevalent in the peninsula would have much impact on the outcome of elections in Sabah and Sarawak.

“East Malaysians in the peninsula are more exposed to voting trends and current issues where they are located, so that would influence the results slightly, but the overall effect on election results may not be very significant,” he said.

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Despite this, Jeniri urged the EC to swiftly implement postal voting for more than 500,000 East Malaysians living and working in the peninsula to enhance voter turnout at future polls.

“These individuals face challenges in participating in elections in Sabah and Sarawak due to time constraints, the need for leave, and other costs. To address this issue, allowing postal votes is a viable solution,” he said.

Jeniri added that achieving this goal requires political will from the government and the commitment of the EC.

Sabah must hold its next state elections by 2025 while Sarawak’s state polls will take place in April 2025 at the latest. - FMT