KUALA LUMPUR: Postal voters who have yet to receive their ballot papers have been told not to worry as there are four more days till polling day.
Election Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri Mohd Hashim Abdullah assured that the ballot papers would reach voters and return to their returning officers before 5pm on May 9.
He said EC was aware that some postal voters feared that their ballot papers would not arrive in time for vote counting, but assured the public not to worry.
“There are no technical issues. I’ve been informed that those (voting) overseas have yet to receive (their ballot papers), while some have received them and sent them back (to Malaysia).
“There are many who are excited to vote, but are worried that the ballot papers will not arrive.
“InsyaAllah (God willing), there is a schedule that we need to follow and we have not missed the deadline,” he said during his visit at the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters here yesterday.
EC had announced that there are about 12,000 overseas voters and 299,000 postal voters.
Hashim said EC was confident that Pos Malaysia would perform its responsibility well.
The company was tasked with ensuring that ballots arrived safely to the registered centre.
Hashim said 278,590 early voters had fulfilled their responsibility, adding that the number included 118,913 police officers and 159,677 retired police and army personnel.
He said 36 per cent of the total number were in the Lembah Pantai constituency.
“In Bukit Aman, there are 7,466 voters, including retirees that have yet to change their status to civilians and their voting address.”
EC deputy chairman Tan Sri Othman Mahmood assured the people that the commission would ensure the safety of the ballot boxes.
He said the ballot boxes would be kept at the lock-up at police stations.
“The ballot boxes will be transported to the counting centre on May 9 beginning 4pm.
“That is the rule that were already set, and we will obey it. There should be no issue of the boxes being kept in unsafe areas.”
A total of 145 polling centres were set up yesterday for 152,357 early voters.
This included 110,277 army
personnel, 22,499 navy personnel and 19,581 air force personnel.
Early voters also include 1,053 postal voters comprising military personnel.