The NGO’s steering committee said while it welcomed reports that the EC was considering introducing electronic voting for Malaysians abroad, digitalisation alone would not resolve longstanding structural weaknesses in overseas voting.
“A secure, trustworthy and legally sound electronic voting system requires substantial groundwork, including strong cybersecurity safeguards, legal reforms, transparent operating procedures, independent oversight and broad stakeholder confidence.
“Without these foundations, e-voting risks undermining, rather than strengthening trust in the electoral process,” it said in a statement today.
Global Bersih encouraged the EC to first implement practical, “low-hanging” reforms that could be implemented immediately and would significantly improve overseas voter participation without fundamentally overhauling the system.
“These reforms would immediately improve accessibility, efficiency and trust in overseas voting, while also laying the groundwork for any future consideration of electronic or online voting,” it said.
Global Bersih’s recommendations included extending campaign periods to between 21 and 25 days and allowing overseas Malaysians to register as postal voters up to six months before projected election dates.
It also recommended conducting a formal study with Malaysian foreign missions to determine realistic ballot return timelines, standardising ballot dispatch procedures with tracking numbers and reimbursing the cost of ballot returns.
“Innovation in electoral systems is welcome, but credibility, inclusiveness and voter confidence must come first,” it said.
The current postal ballot system has been criticised for short campaign periods, tight ballot return deadlines, high courier costs and inconsistent administrative procedures.
Yesterday, law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said said the EC was studying the possible introduction of an e-voting system ahead of the next general election.
In a written parliamentary reply to Mas Ermieyati Samsudin (PN-Masjid Tanah), she said the EC was also examining efforts to improve the management of overseas postal voting, including both short-term and long-term solutions.
In May last year, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had given an assurance that the voting process for Malaysians living abroad would be improved.
He acknowledged that there were eligible voters, including students overseas, who had been unable to cast their votes due to the complicated voting procedures abroad, particularly in countries like Russia.