KOTA KINABALU: Calls are increasing for the Election Commission (EC) to extend postal voting to an estimated 200,000 Sabahans who are working or studying in Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak.
Social platform movement Vote Wisely coordinator Angie S. Chin said it was important for all Sabahans to have the opportunity to vote in the upcoming state election in the face of challenges such as the cost of flights as well as work commitments.
In this regard, Vote Wisely believes that EC can make postal voting accessible without compromising transparency or security.
She proposed the introduction of a digital pre-registration system for Sabahans residing outside the state.
Eligible voters would have the option to apply via MySPR or through specific state liaison offices, with verification conducted using their MyKad address, along with confirmation from their employer or university.
Secondly, the movement suggested the setting up of designated ballot centres in major towns and the appointment of official collection and drop-off points in the Klang Valley, Johor Baru, Kuching and Penang, with these various places managed in collaboration with Sabahan associations, universities, and NGOs under the EC’s supervision.
She said the 17th Sabah state election could be a pilot programme to test and refine postal voting for broader use in future elections.
“If we can bank, study, and work online – surely we can find a way to let Sabahans vote safely and fairly from wherever they are,” Chin added.
The movement has set up an online petition for the public to call for postal voting for out-of-base Sabahans at c.org/n659HrNM6W.
She said that under current regulations, postal voting is limited only to members of the security forces (army and police) and Malaysians based overseas.
“This means ordinary Sabahans temporarily residing in other states are denied a fundamental democratic right,” she said, adding that many young Sabahans were being denied their right to vote.
Separately, Sabah DAP youth chief Chan Loong Wei also appealed to the EC to extend postal voting eligibility within Malaysia, as it was a practical step to allow Sabahans to vote.
“If Malaysians overseas can vote by post, it is only logical that Malaysians within the same country be given the same right,” he added.
He said postal voting is an established and proven system used by Malaysians abroad, the security forces, and government personnel.
“Extending this facility to Sabahans and Sarawakians living outside their home states will be a simple yet powerful step toward inclusivity and fairness,” he added.
Chan also suggested that the EC modernise and digitise the voting process by enabling online applications, transparent verification, and secure tracking.
”In this digital era, no Malaysian should be left behind just because they live far from their polling station,” he said.
