There are about 400,000 Malaysians, many of whom Johorians, are working in Singapore.
However, vaccinated-travel-lane (VTL) limits the number of voters that can travel back to vote in the upcoming Johor state election.
Election Commission (EC) must show strong commitment to encourage more Johor voters to participate in the voting process.
Therefore, my colleague Teo Nie Ching urged the EC to set up oversea polling stations in Malaysia High Commission in Singapore on polling day, so that more Johorians can cast their votes. However, it falls into deaf ears.
Alternatively, the registration process of to become postal voters must be simplified.
As of now, a voter needs to first register an account at EC website, which may take 1-2 days to approve, before he/she can login and register as postal voter.
In another word, the registration process as a postal voter will take at least 2 days to complete! It is absolutely absurd.
At this day and age, there is certainly an easier way for Malaysians to register as postal voter.
EC should at least simplify the steps by allowing registration of EC account to be done at the same time as registration of postal voter.
Covid-19 is already making it difficult for voters to turn-out to vote, EC should not make it even more difficult for the democratic process to take place.