EC proposes early or postal voting for some sectors
Published: Oct 28, 2011 6:56 PM | Updated: Oct 28, 2011 6:59 PM
The Election Commission (EC) has proposed to allow for early or postal voting for sectors such as the media, medical, airlines and offshore oil and gas, as is the norm with the police and armed forces, for the 13th general election.
The Election Commission (EC) has proposed to allow for early or postal voting for sectors such as the media, medical, airlines and offshore oil and gas, as is the norm with the police and armed forces, for the 13th general election.
Its chairperson, Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof, said the proposal will be discussed during the Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reform meeting which had earlier evaluated several other suggestions such as the use of indelible ink and the biometric system.
Speaking after the general election briefing involving 129 state returning and assistant returning officers in Ipoh today, he said if the proposal was agreed upon the related Bill would be tabled in Parliament and implemented during the same general election.
“We understand that some media groups are unable to cast their votes because duty calls, so do we do nothing? Therefore, we feel changes should be made to allow postal or early voting,” said Abdul Aziz.
“This proposal will be discussed with the committee later. Actually, it’s not just the media which is affected but airlines personnel, the medical profession and oil rig workers too,” he said.
Abdul Aziz said the proposal also involved EC staff who will be given the choice to either vote earlier or on the day itself.
The committee was given six months, until April this year to make its full recommendations but was allowed to submit interim proposals or request for an extension if necessary, he added.
Perak was the third state to be briefed after Selangor and Kelantan, he said.
However, the briefings are not a sign of the general election being close at hand but suffice to say it must be called at the latest by June 28 2013, two months after the dissolution of Parliament on April 28 the same year, he said.
- Bernama
Its chairperson, Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof, said the proposal will be discussed during the Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reform meeting which had earlier evaluated several other suggestions such as the use of indelible ink and the biometric system. Speaking after the general election briefing involving 129 state returning and assistant returning officers in Ipoh today, he said if the proposal was agreed upon the related Bill would be tabled in Parliament and implemented during the same general election.
“We understand that some media groups are unable to cast their votes because duty calls, so do we do nothing? Therefore, we feel changes should be made to allow postal or early voting,” said Abdul Aziz.
“This proposal will be discussed with the committee later. Actually, it’s not just the media which is affected but airlines personnel, the medical profession and oil rig workers too,” he said.
Abdul Aziz said the proposal also involved EC staff who will be given the choice to either vote earlier or on the day itself.
The committee was given six months, until April this year to make its full recommendations but was allowed to submit interim proposals or request for an extension if necessary, he added.
Perak was the third state to be briefed after Selangor and Kelantan, he said.
However, the briefings are not a sign of the general election being close at hand but suffice to say it must be called at the latest by June 28 2013, two months after the dissolution of Parliament on April 28 the same year, he said.
- Bernama
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