PETALING JAYA, May 9 — Election Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri Mohd Hashim Abdullah today said an investigation will be launched to find out why some postal ballot papers failed to reach voters abroad on time.

“After receiving several complaints regarding the issue, the EC views this as a serious matter and will carry out an investigation,” he said in a statement.

Hundreds of postal voters, especially Malaysians living abroad, experienced delays in receiving their ballot papers and had to fork out high postal fees for international courier services while some overseas voters found out their ballot papers would only reach them two days after polling day.

Yesterday, Malay Mail reported that Malaysians outside the country registered to vote by post have taken to social media to express anxiety over the delay in receiving their ballot papers.

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Up to yesterday, voters in Australia, Italy, France and the UK claim they have not received their ballot papers.

Their added fear is that even if they got them a few hours later, the ballot papers would not reach the returning officers in their respective voting constituencies before 5pm today, when polling closes.

On Monday, dissatisfied voters in the UK protested against the EC in front of the Malaysian Tourism Promotion board near London’s Trafalgar Square.

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