Accessibility compared: How Malaysia and regional neighbours make voting easier for citizens abroad

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 — The ability to vote regardless of one’s location is a fundamental pillar of democratic participation.

For Malaysians residing abroad, however, casting a vote in national elections remains a challenging and often complicated process. Although postal voting is allowed, logistical issues such as delays in ballot delivery and insufficient awareness about the process continue to hinder participation.

In contrast, neighbouring countries like Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines have adopted various strategies to make overseas voting more accessible.

These include options ranging from postal ballots to in-person voting at embassies and, in some cases, internet voting.

In Malaysia, the postal voting system allows overseas citizens to participate in general elections without needing to return home.

To vote by post, overseas Malaysians must first register via the MySPR system, the Election Commission’s (EC) online voter registration platform.

Once registered, postal ballots are issued, which voters must complete and return to the EC within a set timeframe.

Singapore

Singapore provides its citizens residing abroad with voting options tailored to enhance accessibility.

While Singaporeans were previously required to return home to vote, the introduction of overseas voting has allowed greater participation in presidential and parliamentary elections.

Citizens can register for overseas voting and then cast their ballots either at one of the 10 designated polling stations worldwide or via postal voting.

Any change in voting mode such as switching between postal and in-person voting must be made within two days of the issuance of the Writ of Election.

Indonesia

Indonesian citizens living abroad who cannot access the overseas polling stations have the option to vote by mail, which involves marking the ballot and sending it through postal services to the Overseas Election Committee.

For overseas Indonesians, the General Election Commission works with the overseas election committee to offer three voting options: voting at the overseas polling stations, using the mobile ballot box or voting by mail.

Although overseas voting, which occurs before the domestic election, is conducted early, the votes are counted at the same time as those from within Indonesia.

Regarding absentee and proxy voting, only absentee voting applies to overseas Indonesians using the mobile ballot box or postal voting.

Additionally, the General Election Commission provides the voter transfer mechanism for voters who cannot return to their home regions, ensuring everyone has a chance to vote.

Thailand

In Thailand, overseas voting requires citizens to register with Thai embassies or consulates in their host countries. Registration typically opens months before the election and is mandatory for participation.

Once registered, Thai citizens abroad can vote in person at designated polling stations during the advance voting period, which takes place several days before the main election date in Thailand.

Although postal voting is an option in theory, it is available only in countries where fewer than 500 overseas voters are registered.

To further improve accessibility, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is piloting internet voting in selected locations as part of Comelec’s broader efforts to modernise the electoral process and ensure that overseas Filipino voters can participate more easily in national elections. — Picture from pexels.com

Philippines

To qualify for voting, individuals in the Philippines must be at least 18 years old by election day and must not be disqualified by law.

Registration is required and must be completed in person at the nearest Philippine Embassy, Consulate or authorised registration centre.

Applicants are required to present a valid Philippine passport, while dual citizens must provide their certificate of dual citizenship.

The voting process varies depending on the voter’s location. In-person voting is conducted at designated Philippine embassies, consulates or polling centres.

In some areas, postal voting is available, where ballots are mailed to voters and must be returned by the specified deadline.

To further improve accessibility, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is piloting internet voting in selected locations as part of Comelec’s broader efforts to modernise the electoral process and ensure that overseas Filipino voters can participate more easily in national elections.

The introduction of digital voter IDs is expected to enhance the security and accessibility of the voting process for Filipinos living abroad.

The Overseas Internet Voting system is being piloted in 77 approved embassies and consulates, with the full list available on the Comelec website.