COME OUT EARLY TO VOTE

AS MALAYSIANS head to the polls today, the Election Commission (EC) advised voters to come out early as inclement weather is predicted in some states in the afternoon.

The EC also reminds  13.34 million eligible voters to bring along their identification cards.

On the matter of polling centres EC Chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Yusof clarified during a press conference at the EC Headquarters in Putrajaya yesterday that  voters who have changed their address on their identity cards with the National Registration Department but have not applied for a change of their polling centre are still eligible to vote.

"The law states clearly that voting is based on the registration of a voter, whereby the name of the voter remains in the register and the polling centre would be changed only after the voter has applied to the EC to do so," he said.

On the issue of the ballot papers being marked with a serial number, the EC Chairman explained that this is to facilitate counting of the ballot papers in stacks of 50 sheets.

The EC also reminded voters that only the EC clerk may mark voters' fingers with the indelible ink, and advised the public against having their fingers marked with ink before going to vote.

The EC clerk will check the left index finger of a voter to ensure that there is no ink mark before marking the finger with indelible ink, Abdul Aziz said.

"If a voter refuses to allow his or her finger to be marked with the ink, then no ballot paper will be issued," he stressed.

Should a voter find that his or her ballot paper has been smudged with indelible ink, he or she can request a replacement from the presiding officer. However, the presiding officer has to be satisfied that the ballot paper was not intentionally defaced before he issues a replacement paper, Abdul Aziz explained. (Insight Sabah)