KOTA KINABALU: The Election Commission (EC) has issued 22,881 postal ballot papers to eligible voters for the 17th Sabah State Election.
EC Secretary Datuk Khairul Shahril Idrus said the postal ballot papers were issued on Nov 17 and 18, across all 73 state constituencies.
He added that the total number of ballot papers issued comprised 21,362 postal ballot papers under Category 1A, which includes election officers, EC members and staff, police and military personnel, as well as media practitioners. In addition, 336 postal ballot papers were issued under Category 1B, involving Malaysians residing abroad.
Also issued were 1,183 postal ballot papers under Category 1C, involving agencies and organisations such as the Royal Malaysia Police Volunteer Reserve (PVR), the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), the Prisons Department and the Health Department.
“Category 1C also involves the Immigration Department, the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM), the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA), National Registration Department officers at UTCs, as well as staff of Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB),” he said in a statement today.
Khairul Shahril said that the issuance of postal ballot papers was witnessed by postal ballot agents representing the contesting political parties or candidates, to ensure transparency throughout the process.
He also reminded all postal voters to mark their ballot papers and complete the Identity Declaration Form (Form 2) correctly, before returning them to their respective returning officers by 5 pm on polling day (Nov 29).
“Voters are also advised to maintain the confidentiality of their votes by not recording or posting photos of their postal ballot papers on social media,” he said.
According to EC statistics, a total of 1,784,843 voters are eligible to cast their ballots in this election, comprising 1,760,417 ordinary voters, 11,697 military personnel and their spouses, and 12,729 police personnel and their spouses.
