THE Election Commission (EC) has yet to decide whether Sabahans living outside the state will be allowed to cast their ballots by post in the upcoming 17th Sabah election, said EC chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun.
“For now, those who are registered in Sabah but living elsewhere will have to return home to vote,” Ramlan told reporters after a press conference on Thursday.
He said the matter was still being reviewed by the commission following calls from civil groups and lawmakers for the EC to introduce postal voting to reduce the cost and logistical burden on Sabahans working or studying in Peninsular Malaysia.
“We are aware of the requests, but no decision has been made yet,” he said.
The groups have numbered Sabahans living in the peninsula to approximately 400,000 with over 50% are students and youths.
Ramlan also confirmed that Nomination Day for the state election will be on November 15, with polling scheduled for November 29 and early voting on November 25.
He added that the EC had taken logistical considerations into account to ensure polling day, which falls on a Saturday, would not clash with national public examinations.
Separately, Ramlan said the authority to declare a parliamentary seat vacant rests solely with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, but the EC will study any cases involving electoral or party-hopping violations.
“The decision to determine whether a seat is vacant or not is under the Speaker. We will wait for any decision from the Speaker, and if a vacancy occurs, an election will be held within 60 days from the date we receive the notice,” he said.
His remarks come amid reports that Putatan MP Datuk Shahelmey Yahya and Kalabakan MP Andi Muhammad Suryady Bandy, both suspended Umno members, plan to contest under the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) banner in the upcoming state polls.
Such moves could potentially fall under Malaysia’s anti-party hopping law, which bars elected representatives from switching party loyalties while retaining their parliamentary seats.
“The EC is ready to ensure the election process runs smoothly and transparently,” Ramlan added.
Under Article 54(1) of the Federal Constitution, a by-election is not required if a parliamentary seat falls vacant within the last three years of Parliament’s five-year term — meaning the seat can remain unfilled until the next general election.
The Madani federal government, which took office on November 22, 2022, will reach its third anniversary next month. Once that threshold is crossed, any parliamentary vacancy declared after that date would not automatically trigger a by-election under the same constitutional provision. – October 16, 2025
