Election Commission to ‘follow the law’ on voting rights

The Star
by LEE YEN MUN

PUTRAJAYA: The Election Commission (EC) will act based on the law on the issue of voting rights, its deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar said.

He was referring to a High Court decision yesterday, where six Malaysians in Britain were granted leave for an application to compel the EC to register them as absent voters in the next general election.

Wan Ahmad said: “As far as the commission is concerned, we work based on the law.

“So the question of pressure on the commission should not arise at all,” Wan Ahmad told The Star in a telephone interview.

While the commission would await the court hearing on the matter, Wan Ahmad warned the six applicants of the implications of their suit, pointing out that these included the logistical costs to facilitate voting abroad, which would be borne by public funds.

Under the existing law, only civil servants, members of the armed forces and their spouses as well as students overseas are allowed to vote through the post.

“Malaysians are located all over the world and their votes can be for any of the hundreds of constituencies.

“Wisma Putra sources have also told us that not all Malaysians overseas have registered their addresses abroad with local embassies.

“The country must be prepared for these costs if such a law (for Malaysians to vote from abroad) is passed,” he said.

In their suit, the six applicants wanted Malaysians staying abroad to be entitled to vote as absent voters and directed the EC, named as the sole respondent, to register them.

High Court (Appellate and Special Powers) judge Justice Rohana Yusuf has set Dec 13 for case management and Jan 3 for the hearing.