Malaysians to return home to vote

Malaysians living in South Thailand, Singapore, Brunei and Kalimantan, Indonesia will have to return home to vote in the 13th general election, said the Election Commission (EC). Its secretary, Datuk Kamaruddin Mohamed Baria said they were not entitled to the postal voting facilities for Malaysians living abroad. He said in South Thailand, they were made up of Malaysians living in the Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala, Songkhla and Satun provinces. For Malaysians living abroad registered as ordinary voters, apart from absentee voters, they need to apply for the postal voting facilities using Form 1B of the Postal Ballot Paper Form (Overseas Postal Voters) which can be downloaded from the EC website at www.spr.gov.my, he said in a statement. Kamaruddin said the guideline to fill up the form could also be downloaded from the EC website. The completed form can be sent to the EC headquarters in Putrajaya via email to [email protected], or fax to +603-8881 1201/1202/1187/1192. The form can also be sent by post to the Election Commission of Malaysia, Level 4-5, Block C7, Complex C, Federal Administrative Centre, 62690 Putrajaya (Attn: Overseas Postal Vote Management Unit). The EC will process all applications and applicants will be notified whether they are eligible, he said, adding that applicants were advised to check their status regularly on the EC website. Kamaruddin said applications for postal voting would be closed on the day of the dissolution of Parliament, and those received after 12 midnight that day would not be processed. On Malaysians registered as absentee voters, he advised them to update their particulars through the EC website to facilitate the delivery of Priority Envelope containing ballot papers for them. Three conditions stipulated for postal voters are namely, a person must be a registered voter; had to be in the country for at least 30 days in five years before the dissolution of Parliament or State Assembly; and living overseas with the exception of South Thailand, Singapore, Brunei and Kalimantan.