Media statement by Lim Guan Eng in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, 20^th May 2011: 

DAP insists that monitors of political parties and EC must be present at postal or advanced voting to ensure that there is no cheating 

Postal voting for military and police personnel has been redefined as advance voting and will be handled only by Election Commission (EC) officers in the next general election. EC deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar said advance voting would be fully handled by specially designated assistant returning officers (ROs) instead of the personnel's superior officers in military camps and district police headquarters.

Whilst abolishing postal voting, except for members of the national security forces operating overseas and at the borders, is welcome there is concern that there is no difference in ensuring a free, fair, neutral and independent elections if political parties still do not have full access during the voting process. DAP insists that monitors of political parties and EC must be present during the voting process to ensure that there is no manipulation or cheating.

All Malaysian law enforcement and armed forces personnel sacrifice their lives every day to protect our country and should also enjoy the same rights and privileges as everyone else. Therefore, voting should be made as easy and accessible as possible for them.

In the current practice, postal voting is virtually conducted by the armed forces or police themselves. Counting is then done separately, where you have the ballot in a sealed envelope and an accompanying form that carries the signature of the witness and other details. As a result, this obvious lack of transparency has given rise to suspicions that votes can be traced to the voter, which is unconstitutional.

The current proposal to do away with postal voting is therefore seen to be a remedy to the above problem. However, the big question is: how will it then be done? From media reports, it would appear that armed forces and police personnel would cast their votes two or three days earlier at polling stations. If that is true, the question also arises whether all the normal checks and balances will be adhered to, such as the availability of polling agents and so on.

Lastly, it would also be interesting to see whether these changes will be implemented in the upcoming General Election. It is up to Election Commission Chairman to prove that these changes are positive and would add safeguards that would prevent cheating instead of making easier for certain parties to cheat during postal or advanced voting.

DAP fully supports a more transparent polling process, and hope that the Election Commission will ensure that this principle is adhered to. In addition, if we can now provide normal polling opportunities for armed forces and police personnel, we should also do so for the one million Malaysians residing or working overseas. Singapore has been successfully providing for the rights of its citizens at its High Commissions and Embassies overseas, and India has now started as well. If India, with a far larger electorate is able to implement such a programme, then there is no reason why Malaysia is unable to accommodate for the rights of her citizens.

*Lim Guan Eng, DAP Secretary General & MP for Bagan