The Malaysian Insight

THE Election Commission (EC) does not intend to expand postal voting to East Malaysians living in the peninsula, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said today.

Instead, she urged Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan folk residing in the peninsula to apply for change in voting constituencies based on their latest place of residence.

“The EC encourages voters to apply for a change of constituency based on the latest place of residence to facilitate the voting process for an election.

“Article 119 of the Federal Constitution stipulates that one of the qualifications to be registered as a voter is to be a resident in any constituency,” the Masjid Tanah MP said in Parliament today.

She was responding to Rozman Isli (Labuan-Warisan) whether the EC is considering postal voting for those who reside away from registered polling stations, especially for the people of Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan.

Mas Ermieyati said currently only voters in certain categories are allowed to vote by post.

Among them are EC staff, election officials, military, police and General Operations Force staff who are on duty during early voting, media practitioners who are covering the election outside their constituencies on polling day and Malaysians abroad.

Meanwhile, Mas Ermieyati also said there is currently no need for early voting for East Malaysians residing in the peninsula or for others residing outside their registered polling stations.

“There is no need for EC to replace early voting for Sabah and Sarawak voters.

“Not only for Sabah and Sarawak voters, but also (for example) voters in Kelantan who want to vote in Johor and so on.

“For now there is no need yet for us to hold that early voting (for those residing outside polling stations) but whatever the proposal is, we will pay attention,” she said.

This time, Mas Ermieyati was responding to a supplementary question from Rubiah Wang (Kota Samarahan-GPS), who asked if it would be possible for the EC to allow East Malaysian voters residing in the peninsula to cast their votes early, as it does with police and military staff. – March 16, 2022.