GE-15 Overseas Postal Voting (English)

 

FAQ – Overseas Postal Voting

Why should I vote?

Section one: Overseas voters

  1. Who is eligible to vote by post?
  2. Weren’t there other criteria for GE14?
  3. How do I register to be a postal voter on the SPR website?
  4. I’m a self-sponsored student. I heard only government-sponsored students can register to vote overseas. Is this true?
  5. I am a registered voter on vacation/taking a course abroad. Am I eligible to apply to vote by post?
  6. Can I still vote personally as an ordinary voter at my polling station in Malaysia after registering as an overseas postal voter?
  7. When can I register as an overseas postal voter?
  8. Must I register for a user account on MySPR Daftar?
  9. I voted in the last elections from overseas. Do I still have to re-register as an overseas postal voter?
  10. How do I register as overseas postal voter online when the registration is opened?
  11. How will I know if my application is successful?

Section two: Voting from overseas

  1. Now that I am a postal voter, what is next?
  2. What method can I use to return the ballot paper to my polling station?
  3. What documents will I receive in the envelope for overseas postal voters?
  4. What do I need to do once I receive the ballot package at my overseas address?
  5. 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?

Section three: Automatic registration

  1. Am I eligible to vote?
  2. Where can I go to register as a voter?
  3. How long does it take for a Malaysian citizen who has reached the age of 18 to be automatically registered as a voter by the EC?
  4. Am I already a registered voter?
  5. Are there citizens aged 18 and over who are not automatically registered?
  6. How do I check my voting information online?
  7. What should a new voter do if there is an error in personal details or the designation of the constituency in the electoral roll?
  8. Can I change my address on the Electoral Roll because I have moved to another address and want to vote in my new area?
  9. I am no longer a Malaysian citizen, but my name still appears in the electoral roll. What can I do to remove it?
  10. Are there any fees or charges for amendments applications made?

Section four: Reducing the risks of electoral fraud

  1. Why should I register as overseas postal voter and receive my ballots at the overseas address if I don’t want to vote?
  2. Is postal voting a reliable option? Can my vote be hijacked?

 

GE15: The Guide to Voting (Malaysians Overseas)

WHY SHOULD I VOTE?

  • The simple truth is every vote counts. Malaysians who love their country should have a say in who governs it, no matter where they are. Your vote will be the catalyst for change in the country. For example, your votes in GE14 had an impact on reforms and caused changes such as
  • Automatic registration 
  • Lowering of voting age to 18
  • Anti-Hopping Law
  • High-profile corruption cases brought to justice
  • To ensure that more positive changes happen, you need to vote.

SECTION ONE: OVERSEAS VOTERS

Overseas Malaysians have 3 ways to vote:

  • Fly back to Malaysia to vote in person
  • Register as an overseas postal voter, receive your ballot, fly back to Malaysia to physically put your vote in the ballot box
  • Register as an overseas postal voter, receive your ballot, mail your ballot back to Malaysia
  1. Who is eligible to vote by post?
  • All overseas Malaysians above the age of 18 Who have a permanent overseas address and have registered to be a postal voter on the SPR website
  1. 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:
  • Malaysians who were back in Malaysia for more than 30 days in the last 5 years
  • 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
  1. How do I register to be a postal voter on the SPR website?

 **REGISTRATION FOR POSTAL VOTING FOR GE15 CLOSED ON 23 OCTOBER**       

Two parts:

  1. Im 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. When can I register as an overseas postal voter?

You can register as an overseas postal voter now – see How to Register Online (English)

  1. Must I register for a user account on MySPR Daftar?

Yes, online registration will be handled through this portal. You need your Malaysian ID and a telephone number to receive the TAC(code) Here is how you register for an user account :

  • Go to: https://myspr.spr.gov.my/login and click ‘Permohonan Akaun Baru’
  • Fill in the form
  • Upload a digital copy of your IC and a selfie with your IC
  • Wait for confirmation from the Election Commission
  • For individuals who just turned 18, their status will be updated about 46 days after the birth date If there are discrepancies , please follow the instructions on the dashboard
  • For illustrated version please click here
  1. I voted in the last elections from overseas. Do I still have to re-register as an overseas postal voter

 **REGISTRATION FOR POSTAL VOTING FOR GE15 CLOSED ON 23 OCTOBER**

YES. The postal voting application must be made every time the elections come around.

  1. How do I register as overseas postal voter online when the registration is opened?
  • Log into your user account (Check question 8 on how to create an user account)
  • Look for ‘Undi Pos’ on the main menu on the right and click on submenu ‘Permohonan’
  • In Section A, choose ‘Pengundi Luar Negara’. Be sure to click the right category to avoid rejection
  • Enter passport No, and reason for residing overseas
  • Review and update information on the form
  • IMPORTANT: Fill in the correct mailing address where you will receive your ballots
  • Read Section B carefully to ensure all details are correct and press ‘’
  • You will have to fill in your Malaysian IC number and SPR Daftar password to obtain the ‘TAC’(code) to proceed.
  • Click ‘Mohon TAC,’ and the TAC will be sent the phone number you have used to register for your user account.
  • Enter the TAC and click ‘Hantar’ to submit your application.
  • You will receive an email and notification that your application is being processed.
  • You can check your application status on the platform
  • SPR will send an email to notify you if your application is approved
  • For illustrated version, please see How to Register Online (English) or How to Register Online (BM)
  1. How will I know if my application is successful?

Log in to your user account and check the status of your application. You will also receive an email confirming if your application is successful.

 

SECTION TWO : VOTING FROM OVERSEAS.

  1. Now that I am a postal voter, what is next?
    • SPR will send you your ballot. This will occur after the nomination day

  2. 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

  3. What documents will I receive in the envelope for overseas postal voters?
    • You will receive a ballot package/envelope that will contain 
      • Borang 2
      • Envelope B
      • Envelopes A: (1 for Parliament and 1 for State) contain the ballot papers. For GE15, only voters in Perak, Perlis, Pahang and Bugaya (Sabah) will receive ballot papers for state DUN elections.)

  4. What do I need to do once I receive the ballot package at my overseas address?
    • You will receive the instructions within the ballot package. (To be updated soon)

  5. 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
  • Keep yourself updated and informed by checking SPR and also Global Bersih on social media
  • Spread updated and valid information to mobilise and inform the diaspora.
  • Take part in the mobilisation campaigns
  • Donate your time to be involved as a city coordinator (contact us at contact@globalbersih.org)
  • Make a financial donation to organisations that work with overseas Malaysians such as Global Bersih. 

 

SECTION THREE: AUTOMATIC REGISTRATION

In order to vote from overseas, you have to be automatically registered on the electoral roll and later you will have to actively register online as overseas postal voter.

  1. Am I eligible to vote?

Since 15th December 2021, all Malaysians over the age of 18 are eligible to vote and will be automatically registered on the electoral roll. 

  1. Where can I go to register as a voter?

Since the introduction of automatic registration, you do not have to register to be a voter as you will be automatically registered after you turn 18.

  1. How long does it take for a Malaysian citizen who has reached the age of 18 to be automatically registered as a voter by the EC?

This automatic voter registration process will take up to a month and a half from the day the individual reaches 18 years of age.

  1. Am I already a registered voter?

If you are over 18, you should be automatically registered. You can check your voting information at:

  1. Are there citizens aged 18 and over who are not automatically registered?

Yes. Those with incomplete addresses are not automatically registered—likewise, those who are disqualified as voters according to the law

  1. How do I check my voting information online?

 – Go to the one of the link shared above (Question 4) that will take you to the SPR website 

  • Choose ‘Semakan Daftar Pemilih’ 
  • Enter your Malaysian IC number to retrieve your voting information.
  • Make sure all information stated there is correct
  1. What should a new voter do if there is an error in personal details or the designation of the constituency in the electoral roll?

You can apply for amendments using Form C available online at  https://www.spr.gov.my or https://mysprsemak.spr.gov.my;

  1. Can I change my address on the Electoral Roll because I have moved to another address and want to vote in my new area?

Any application for a change of address in the voter register must follow the address in the Identity Card. He/She must first apply for a change of address on the Identification Card at the National Registration Department. After that he can apply for a change of polling place address in the voter register at https://www.spr.gov.my

  1. I am no longer a Malaysian citizen, but my name still appears in the electoral roll. What can I do to remove it?

SPR usually clears the electoral roll every quarter against those who have passed away and those who have given up their citizenship/ has had their citizenship revoked. If your name persists in the electoral roll 3 months after giving up your citizenship, do lodge a complaint with SPR –https://www.spr.gov.my

  1. Are there any fees or charges for amendments applications made?

None

SECTION FOUR: REDUCING THE RISKS OF ELECTORAL FRAUD

  1. Why should I register as overseas postal voter and receive my ballots at the overseas address if I dont want to vote?
  • 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.
  • 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
  1. 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:

  • You can choose to use a more secure postal method to return the ballots, such as registered special delivery. For GE15, you can send ballots back to the Returning Officer (address on the ballot envelope) until the closing of voting on 19th November 2022. 
  • If time permits, you can send the ballots to a trusted person to personally deliver the ballot to the Returning Officer’s office at the address indicated on the ballot envelope. For GE15, this is up till the closing of voting on 19th November 2022. 

SOURCES

  • This document has been adapted from various sources mainly from the SPR website

DISCLAIMER:

  • 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.
  • 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.

Why Vote

1)“Does my vote mean anything? Why vote when nothing changes?” 

Because of your votes in GE14, the Undi 18 Bill has been passed to allow all Malaysians aged 18 and above to vote.

Everyone who are eligible to vote but have never registered are now automatically on the electoral roll.

Overseas Malaysians no longer need to travel to the Malaysian embassy or consulate to register as voters.

All they need to do is open a MySPR account online now to register for postal voting later (the date will be announced by the Election Commission). 

2) “I don’t think my vote matters. I am just one person.” 

The collective votes during GE14 led to changes like the constitutional amendment (Undi 18 Bill), which lowers the voting age from 21 to 18.

This will enable 5.8 million new voters who represent one-fifth of Malaysia’s population to vote in the next general election.

The minimum age for Malaysian citizens to run in federal and state elections is also 18. This empowers the youths.

3)“Why bother voting when our votes are not honoured?”

Besides changing the leadership, GE14 also brought important changes like the anti-hopping law that holds elected representatives accountable to their voters.

It helps to ensure that something like Langkah Sheraton will not happen again as MPs will lose their seats if they jump to another party. This brings more political stability to the country.

Find out why the anti-hopping law will return voter confidence in the clip from BFM Radio with Pengerang MP, YB Azalina Othman https://www.instagram.com/p/CiwgISrNpRl/

4) “Why vote for a better Malaysia when crime goes unpunished?”

Your votes can support a strong judiciary system. Former PM, Najib Tun Razak is finally serving his 12-year prison sentence for seven charges of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving SRC International’s RM42 millions of funds.

His wife Rosmah Mansor has been sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined RM970 million for three corruption charges related to a solar power project for schools in Sarawak.

Former FELDA chairperson Mohd Isa Abdul Samad was sentenced to six years’ jail and fined RM15.45 million for nine charges of corruption.

5) Why vote

Postal voting is available to all eligible Malaysians residing outside Malaysia because your votes during GE14 pushed for electoral reforms.

Overseas voters in Singapore, Southern Thailand, Brunei and Kalimantan no longer need to return to Malaysia to cast their votes in the upcoming GE15. Sign the petition for the Election Commission to open registration for postal voting immediately. https://tinyurl.com/every-vote-counts

Why vote (Online registration) Your votes during GE14 made an impact on electoral reforms. Overseas voters no longer need to write into the Election Commission to register for postal voting.

You can now do it online. Please register for your MySPR account at https://myspr.spr.gov.my/login to apply for postal voting. The date for postal voting registration will be announced by the Election Commission.