Amazing race: Global Bersih calls for volunteers to bring GE15 postal votes home in time

KUALA LUMPUR – Global Bersih is urging Malaysians to unite for “the amazing race” to get postal ballots from overseas voters back to the country in time for voting in the 15th general election (GE15) on November 19.

The overseas chapter of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) said it needs volunteers to act as postal ballot transporters or “flyers”, ballot coordinators in a given overseas area, runners based in Malaysia, and witnesses.

This is in view of the fact that the Election Commission (EC) will only issue postal ballots after nomination day on November 5.

“It is likely that overseas Malaysians would only receive the ballots very close to November 15. We are calling for volunteers to help coordinate yet another Amazing Race to get the ballots delivered to its final destination,” said Joshua Ng, Bersih Global’s Global Malaysian Network co-administrator.

He made the appeal in an online form for volunteers which was tweeted by Global Bersih and posted on its Facebook page.

“We are here again, thrown into a race against time to get our ballots home by November 19. During GE14, many of us stepped up, banded together and collectively we flew our ballots home.

 “The call for volunteers (has now) been sounded…Malaysians, assemble!” Ng added. 

Those volunteering as flyers must be able to fly back to Malaysia between November 10 and 18.

Those in Malaysia acting as runners will have to volunteer with Undi18, which was named Global Bersih’s last-mile distribution and local logistics partner.

According to the electoral roll to be used in GE15, there are 2,741 Malaysian registered voters residing overseas. They had until October 23, two days ago, to register with the Election Commission (EC) as postal voters.

The initiative to hand-deliver postal ballots back in time for counting in 2018’s GE14 is an organic and independent effort by Malaysians living and working abroad who feared that postal votes would not be included.

The campaign period after nomination day was 11 days for GE14 and 14 days for GE15. Some have said this period is too short for postal votes from overseas Malaysians to be realistically issued and sent back in time using postal or courier services. – The Vibes, October 25, 2022