Bersih: Implement overseas voting now

The Bersih 2.0 coalition is demanding that the Election Commission (EC) allow postal voting for Malaysians overseas immediately because there is no need to decide on their qualifications.

It argued that this is already covered by the federal constitution and thus beyond the EC’s powers.

“It is not within the purview of the EC to decide the criteria of qualification for overseas voters.

"The federal constitution defines an absent voter as any citizen who is registered in the electoral roll as an absent voter and lives outside of his or her constituency,” the coalition’s steering committee said in a statement issued yesterday.

 In addition, it reiterated its demand to extend postal voting to Malaysians at least 250 kilometres outside their constituency.

The committee was referring to the EC’s announcement on Monday that it needed time to finalise details to implement overseas voting, such as what category of Malaysians are eligible for that and whether a Malaysian who has not returned to the country for a long time should enjoy that privilege.

 It also complained that the EC had ignored most of their eight demands and noted that recent changes are insufficient to ensure free and fair elections.

It said that the EC only fully addressed Bersih’s demand to use indelible ink and partially addressed their calls to reform postal voting.

The other six remain unanswered.

“We emphasise again that these eight demands are crucial in ensuring the bare minimum for a clean and fair election,” it said.

The statement also included a list of demands, such as:

• Implement automatic voter registration,
• Setting a minimum campaign period of 21 days,
• Reinstate the objection period for nominees so that voters can scrutinise their candidates,  
• Allow postal voting for Malaysians at least 250km from their constituency, in addition to Malaysians living abroad,
• Allow for monthly (instead of quarterly) inspection of the electoral roll,
• A fine for unreasonably challenged names on the electoral roll, instead of charging RM10 per name contested and limiting it to 100 names per complainant,and,
• Move polling centres for military and General Operations Force voters outside their bases, to ensure transparency and a ‘non-intimidating environment’ for voters.

Msiakini