Postal Voting FAQs
The following was adapted from content researched and put together by our friends at Global Bersih, and has been reproduced here with their permission.
SECTION ONE: OVERSEAS VOTERS
SECTION TWO: VOTING FROM OVERSEAS
SECTION THREE: REDUCING THE RISKS OF ELECTORAL FRAUD
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SECTION ONE : OVERSEAS VOTERS
Overseas Malaysians have 3 ways to vote:
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Fly back to Malaysia to vote in person
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Register as an overseas postal voter, receive your ballot, fly back to Malaysia to physically put your vote in the ballot box
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Register as an overseas postal voter, receive your ballot, mail your ballot back to Malaysia
Who is eligible to vote by post?
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All overseas Malaysians above the age of 18
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Who have a permanent overseas address
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And have registered to be a postal voter on the SPR website
Weren’t there other criteria for GE14?
Before 2021, there were more stringent criteria for postal voters. For example, the following Malaysians were not eligible to vote by post in the past:
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Malaysians who were back in Malaysia for more than 30 days in the last 5 years
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Malaysians who lived in Singapore, Southern Thailand, Brunei, and Kalimantan
In 2022, the EC removed this criteria. Now all Malaysians above 18 with a permanent overseas address can register to vote by post.
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How do I register to be a postal voter on the SPR website?
Please follow the steps in our postal voting guide.
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I’m a self-sponsored student. I heard only government-sponsored students can register to vote overseas. Is this true?
No. Every Malaysian above 18 with an overseas postal address can register to vote overseas.
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I am a registered voter on vacation/taking a course abroad. Am I eligible to apply to vote by post?
No. Voters eligible to apply are residents (have a fixed address) abroad. This is to prevent postal ballot papers from failing to be delivered to voters.
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Can I still vote personally as an ordinary voter at my polling station in Malaysia after registering as an overseas postal voter?
No. Once you register as an overseas postal voter, SPR will send your ballot to your overseas address.
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When can I register as an overseas poster voter?
Overseas voter registration is now open. Visit the SPR website to register.
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Must I register for a user account on MySPR Daftar?
Yes, all online registration will be handled through this portal. You need your Malaysian ID and a telephone number to receive the TAC(code). You can refer to our guide for postal voting too!
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I voted in the last elections from overseas. Do I still have to re-register as an overseas postal voter?
YES. The postal voting application must be made every time the elections come around.
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SECTION TWO: VOTING FROM OVERSEAS
Now that I am a postal voter, what is next?
SPR will send you your ballot. This will occur after the nomination day
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What method can I use to return the ballot paper to my polling station?
You can mail your ballot back to Malaysia via normal postal services. You are responsible for the cost of postage. Or, you can travel back to Malaysia and physically drop your vote in the ballot box
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I am an ex-Malaysian living overseas and I am not eligible to vote but still want to show my support for Malaysian elections. What can I do?
There are many ways to support if you are not eligible to vote
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Keep yourself updated and informed by checking SPR and also Global Bersih on social media
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Spread updated and valid information to mobilise and inform the diaspora.
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Take part the mobilisation campaigns
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Donate your time to be involved as a city coordinator (find out more contact@globalbersih.org)
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Make a financial donation to organisation that work with overseas Malaysians such as Global Bersih. www.globalbersih.org
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SECTION THREE: REDUCING THE RISKS OF ELECTORAL FRAUD
Why should I register as overseas postal voter and receive my ballots at the overseas address if I don’t want to vote?
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We believe that the greatest risk is that postal ballots will be issued improperly to phantom voters on the electoral roll or in the names of those known to be overseas who have not actually applied to vote by post, in order to dilute the votes of genuine overseas postal voters.
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For this reason, we believe that the risk of fraud is greater if overseas voters do not vote (thereby allowing others to apply to vote in their name), and strongly recommend that overseas Malaysians apply for a postal vote and receive the ballots even if you don’t plan to vote, because you will protect your ballots from being misused.
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Is postal voting a reliable option? Can my vote be hijacked?
The risk exists but you can take practical steps to enhance the security of your vote:
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You can choose to use a more secure postal method to return the ballots , such as registered special delivery
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If time permits , you can send the ballots to a trusted person to be put personally in the ballot box at the returning officer.
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SOURCES
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This document has been adapted from various sources mainly from the SPR website
DISCLAIMER:
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Information is as accurate as possible up until the time of publishing. Please note that we are awaiting the release of more guidelines and materials from EC (which can be expected to be released closer to Polling Day) and we will update this information as soon as it becomes available.
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The individual voter is of course advised to exercise discretion and the author cannot be held responsible or liable for any loss or damage occurring due to the information given.
Global Bersih is an international movement of overseas Malaysians, created to support Malaysian civil society’s work and strengthen Malaysia’s maturing democracy, using peaceful and legal means of action. Please visit our social media platforms to find out more