KUCHING, Oct 17 — It would be difficult for the Election Commission (EC) to introduce a postal voting option for out-of-state East Malaysians as the 15th General Election (GE15) is just around the corner, says Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

The Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts minister said with Parliament dissolved, the time frame to offer such an option for Malaysians who are working or studying in other states of the country would be too short.

"For instance, there are roughly about 50,000 Sarawakians living in Johor who may not be able to come back and vote because of costly airfares and to come back they would need to take leave from work for about two to three days.

"In my personal opinion, to offer a postal voting option for out-of-state Malaysians within this one month would not be possible but if there is a political power to change it... for Sarawakians in Peninsular Malaysia or Peninsular Malaysians in Sarawak to register as postal voters, it can be done,” he told a press conference after officiating the Malaysia Inbound Chinese Association (MICA) Foliday Campaign here today.

Abdul Karim, who is also Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development minister, also touched on Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg’s recent comment that the Sarawak government would study the possibility of assisting Sarawakian students to return from Peninsular Malaysia and vote in GE15.

"I can understand the complexity of this because under the Election Offences Act, we cannot purchase transportation fares for voters to come back.

"Even though we do not know who they are voting for, the act of financing and subsidising can be seen as an election offence. So we have to study this matter thoroughly.

"We don’t want to commit offences when it comes to elections and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) would want to win without being tainted,” he said.

On a related matter, Abdul Karim urged the EC to consider digitising the voting process to ensure that all voters get to cast their votes during elections.

"Personally, I feel that the EC has to be more forward looking. I’m not criticising but now that we are already into the digital age where we can carry out transactions through online banking and purchase airline tickets online, this goes to show that we trust the system.

"If we allow people to transfer money online, then why can’t we create a system where voters can vote online? That is the way forward and this can save a lot of money.

"So, the EC, jangan tidur la (don’t sleep on it)...have to keep on looking forward, then we can create a better election system,” he said.

However, the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice-president admitted that it would not be possible for the EC switch to an electronic voting process this GE15.

"It’s not possible to change all this because I think there are certain laws and legislation that need to be looked into for amendment.

"It does not have to be for this election but for our elections in the future because the system has to be improved,” he said.

Also present at the press conference were Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sebastian Ting and the ministry’s permanent secretary Datu Hii Chang Kee. — Borneo Post