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KOTA KINABALU – Incumbent Penampang Parliament member Datuk Darell Leiking has urged the Election Commission (EC) to allow East Malaysians residing in the peninsula to become postal voters.
Leiking, who is also Moyog assemblyman, said the postal voting should also apply to the East Malaysians for state elections in Sabah and Sarawak.
“Their inclusion in the democratic process is important as most of them will find it difficult, if not expensive, to return to Sabah and Sarawak to exercise their democratic rights and to participate in the coming 15th general elections," he said in a statement.
“It would be a travesty of justice, more so in the era today, where there are technologies to ensure an easy process provided by the EC to assist Sabahans and Sarawakians in exercising their voting rights.
Currently, postal voters usually consist of security personnel, media personnel, health personnel, stationed, and those living overseas.
Leiking said the EC should also adopt new ways of carrying out its role as how businesses and using new methods to carry out their daily activities due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The EC should also take into consideration the cost of air travel to east Malaysia which is now very high,” he said.
“This election was called by the proponent of Keluarga Malaysia, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri, and I am certain he would not like for any of his ‘Keluarga Malaysia’, especially the East Malaysians to be deprived of their constitutional rights to vote.” – The Vibes, October 11, 2022