My Overseas Vote: EC's Role is To Facilitate Overseas Voters, Not Decide Who is "Malaysian" Enough To Vote
10-Jul-12 11:36
[ Programme Segment: Current Affairs ]
Advocacy group My Overseas Vote has pointed out that the Election Commission has failed to meet a three-month deadline to establish a system for Malaysians living overseas to vote in the coming general elections. This follows after the Parliamentary Select Committee on electoral reform had made the recommendation and given the three-month deadline on April 3.
Currently, only full-time students and civil servants working abroad are allowed to vote via post. Malaysians residing and working overseas are required to return to the country to vote during the elections.
Andrew Yong, founding member and honorary legal advisor of the London-based group, discusses why overseas Malaysians should be allowed to vote. He also shares his thoughts on the argument that only Malaysians who reside in Malaysia and are directly impacted by policies decided by the lawmakers should be allowed to vote, the challenges faced by overseas voters with the current postal voting system, as well as whether the embassies and consulates overseas are well-equipped for registering and facilitating overseas voters.
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