NO TO VOTING RIGHTS FOR MALAYSIANS OVERSEAS

By: DAP MEDIA

PARLIAMENT sitting coming to 2nd week and following the parliament question asked by MP for Kota Kinabalu, Hiew King Cheu on why the oversea Malaysian are not given the chance to exercise their right to vote in any election held in Malaysia.

Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz today told Dewan Rakyat that the government does not intend to restore the voting rights to Malaysians who voluntarily reside in overseas.

“The decision will remain still, and to implement to postal vote for Malaysians overseas is not worthy since they themselves had already flown out from the country which indicates their incertitude towards the country,” said Nazri.

Nazri was answering question from Batu Gajah MP, Fong Po Kuan on the progress of the decision on giving Malaysians overseas the right to vote as requested by a group called Malaysian Overseas Right To Vote.

Nazri also stressed that the Constitution already provides the rule for eligible voters to cast their vote in the country during the election. “The postal vote is only available for those who are overseas for working and studying purposes”, said Nazri.

Nazri revealed that the government will not take any initiative to restore the voting rights of Malaysians overseas and rejected the call made by the Malaysian Overseas Right To Vote.

Kalabakan MP, Datuk Abdul Ghapur Salleh, questioned the loyalty of Malaysian overseas who work outside Malaysia. "If they are not loyal to the country, why should they be given the right to vote? It will only deplete the funds”, he said. Fong later refuted Abdul Ghapur’s statement claiming it as liable and defying the rights of Malaysians.

Ipoh Barat MP, M Kulasegaran later said that the principle held by the government did not respect the basic rights of every citizen in this country. “By right, they are supposed to be given the right to vote, but the government just act in insolence.”

Malaysians Overseas Right to Vote or My Overseas Vote is a campaign led by Malaysians residing in London to raise awareness of the civil rights and responsibilities of Malaysian citizens overseas. The campaign also aims to raise funds for a legal challenge against the regulations preventing most Malaysians overseas from registering as absent voters.