POSTAL VOTE or EARLY VOTE right for all Malaysians who live/work outside their Constituency? RIGHT TO VOTE respected - but also facilitated to make it real...

DO NOT DEPRIVE A MALAYSIAN CITIZEN'S RIGHT TO VOTE BY DENIAL OF POSTAL BALLOT TO MALAYSIANS WHO ARE WORKING, STUDYING OR LIVING OUTSIDE THEIR CONSTITUENCY.

Consider the COST of having to travel back to our constituency to vote - it is a LOT OF MONEY - and the DEMOCRATIC government of Malaysia should not insist that we have to travel back just to vote - even from Selangor back to Kelantan to vote - what more Sabahans working/studying/living in Peninsular Malaysia or Sarawak - The SARA Aid given by government is just RM100...

The Election Commission (EC) has ruled out allowing Sabahans living in Peninsular Malaysia to cast their ballots by postal vote in the upcoming state election, EC chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun said. He added that no final decision has been made, meaning Sabahans will have to fly back to their home state if they wish to vote on November 29. “For now, the decision has not yet been made. Sabahan voters who are outside the state will have to return here to vote,” Ramlan said when asked if postal voting would be extended to Sabahans living outside the state.

This is very BAD - now, if the Federal Government or the State Government provide any SUBSIDIES to allow citizens to go back to VOTE - would this not be a violation of FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS? Would it not be seen as 'VOTE BUYING'? After all the Government parties are contesting in these elections. It would be different if there is a LAW that provides for the Subsidy - but NOW, it is with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim or maybe some State Governments to come with such a policy or subsidy >> OK if their parties are not contesting in elections, but they are... and even in Sabah elections, there are parties that now form part of this Madani Government that are contesting?? If it is the LAW - then no need to thank Anwar or the incumbent State government for the monetary assistance to be able to go back to vote. If it is LAW, it is a LEGAL RIGHT which no incumbent government or leader can claim the provision of assistance to go back to vote.

Either POSTAL BALLOT or EARLY VOTING for those living/working in other places other than their constituency.  

EARLY voting in every town in Malaysia - for those who wants to vote in Sabah Elections, or any State or Federal Elections may be best - the ability for EC to also verify the identity of the voters, and time for the EC to send the marked ballots back to the relevant Constituencies to reach and be counted on election date.

This is a MUST for Malaysia - considering also the financial situation of most Malaysians today - it just cost too much to travel back just to cast your vote. EARLY voting or POSTAL ballot saves money for those who want to VOTE.

IT may be also now DISCRIMINATORY as early vote or POSTAL ballot is already available for members of the armed forces, police and even some categories of public officers - why should it not be extended to ALL - including private sector workers, business people, students, or others living elsewhere.

It may be DISCRIMINATORY also because it now is available to Malaysians OVERSEAS - so why not for ALL Malaysians living and working outside their constituency.

Do you still want them to use up their ANNUAL Leave, their monies to travel just to VOTE? 

Some may choose to return to their respective Constituency to vote - but OTHERS may not be able to do so - and there is a SOLUTION - EARLY VOTING in the towns they are now, or by way of POSTAL BALLOT. 

POSTAL BALLOT has its own problems - because time taken for postal services to send the Ballot paper to the Voter - and time taken for postal services to send back to reach the relevant Constituency to be counted - we have had alleged complaints from Malaysians overseas - that they received the marked Ballot papers just too late to be able to send it back in time.

Remember, some times, who wins is decided by a few votes - so every VOTE matters...

The other problem is PAST elections  - is that 2 voters with the same MyKad turns up to vote - Many are unaware that the 2nd person who turns up was given a Different Coloured Ballot Paper to vote - and this is NOT COUNTED - only the vote of the 1st person is counted. Who was the REAL voter and who was the 'FAKE VOTER'(who reasonably has committed serious crimes - and related crimes are involved like who produced the FAKE MyKad) - Sadly, I have not seen that the Election Commission or the police investigate, and charge the perpetrators - worse since all this information is with EC who knows that someone pretended to be someone else - worst the fact the vote of the FAKE maybe counted - and not the TRUE Voters - Have you heard of any case reported in the media that so and so have been charged in court, and so and so had been charged for making/distribution of FAKE MyKads - that were so good that it even deceived the EC themselves...So, if a candidate wins by says 10 votes - when there were 20 such cases of FAKE voters with FAKE MyKads - should that victory be even recognized? 

Let us take a Sabahan working in Pahang - if from Temerloh to the KLIA Airport by Grab, it will cost you about RM300, and the flight to Sabah is RM250 (usually higher), cost of internal travel to the Constituency and the cost of travel back ....it can be a lot of MONIES, time and effort. How much will it cost to travel from Selangor to Penang to VOTE ... Tols itself is a lot???  

EC: No postal votes for peninsula-based Sabahans ahead of November polls

Election Commission (EC) chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun points to a map of Sabah State Assembly seats during a press conference announcing key dates for the Sabah state election in Kota Kinabalu October 16, 2025. — Bernama pic

By Julia Chan

Thursday, 16 Oct 2025 1:46 PM MYT

KOTA KINABALU, Oct 16 — The Election Commission (EC) has ruled out allowing Sabahans living in Peninsular Malaysia to cast their ballots by postal vote in the upcoming state election, EC chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun said.

He added that no final decision has been made, meaning Sabahans will have to fly back to their home state if they wish to vote on November 29.

“For now, the decision has not yet been made. Sabahan voters who are outside the state will have to return here to vote,” Ramlan said when asked if postal voting would be extended to Sabahans living outside the state.

Asked about potential clashes with the Form Five Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) exams, Ramlan said the EC had taken this into consideration and assured voters there would be no conflict.

“We’ve taken into account all our logistical facilities and there won’t be any issues with the voting process and the exam which starts on November 22. Moreover, the voting process will be held on Saturday, so it won’t clash with the SPM,” he said.

Several leaders and advocacy groups, including Bersih and Sabah civil society organisations, have urged the EC to allow postal voting for Sabahans based in the Peninsula. Some 200,000 Sabahans work in Peninsular Malaysia and would have to bear the cost of flying home to vote.

Meanwhile, when asked about the possibility of a by-election if a parliamentary seat is vacated before the government completes three full years, Ramlan remained non-committal.

He said it was up to the parliamentary speaker to declare a seat vacant, and the EC had the duty to call for an election within 60 days of the notice.

However, when asked whether a by-election would be held if a seat was vacated after three years of the Madani government, he said the EC would decide at that time.

The 17th Sabah state election is set for November 29, with nomination day on November 15 and early voting on November 25. - Malay Mail, 16/10/2025