The Malaysian Bar - Bersih 2.0 goes global to reform postal voting

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Bersih 2.0 goes global to reform postal voting

Saturday, 26 November 2011 08:52am

©The Star (Used by permission)
by JOSEPH SIPALAN

KUALA LUMPUR: Electoral reform proponent Bersih 2.0 has launched a global movement aimed at reforming the postal voting system.

The coalition's proposal on absentee voting would simplify what it claims is a “complicated and tedious” postal voting process while improving the efficiency and security of the current system.

The proposal, part of Bersih 2.0's eight demands presented to the Parliamentary Select Committee on electoral reform earlier this month, would split absentee voters into four categories.

They are absent service voters comprising military and police personnel but not their spouses, overseas voters in Singapore and Brunei, overseas voters elsewhere and absent domestic voters.

Bersih 2.0 said that only overseas voters elsewhere should be afforded the option of postal voting, or alternatively go for advance voting on the day before the actual polling day.

Absent service and absent domestic voters on the other hand should be allowed to choose between advance voting or distance voting which would be done on polling day itself while overseas voters in neighbouring Singapore and Brunei should be allowed to do distance voting.

Bersih 2.0 steering committee member Wong Chin Huat said the Global Bersih movement would push for the adoption of this proposal at events organised by Malaysians living in 12 cities across the globe.

Meanwhile, several groups will be organising demonstrations over the weekend and next week to protest against the recently tabled Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011.

A candlelight vigil was held last night near the Bar Council office in the city.

Next Tuesday, lawyers will march to Parliament at 11.30am from the nearby Royal Lake Club.

At the end of the march called “Walk For Freedom 2011: Peaceful Assembly Bill Cannot And Must Not Become Law!”, a memorandum will be submitted to Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong.

The Bill, tabled by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz earlier this week, has been described as more stringent than the current legislation.

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