GE13. YOUR RIGHTS AS A VOTER. YOUR VOTE COUNTS.

Voting Procedure 2013
Dear all,
The message below has been circulating in the internet. I like to put forward BERSIH 2.0's position regarding the randomising of the ballot paper.

We have had a discussion with the organisation concerned and have put forward our strong position. By asking voters to request for randomising of the ballot paper, we are certain that it will cause confusion because it is a new process and possible delay in the voting process as more time is taken to do this.
As it is now, the polling station have about 700-800 voters and it takes time for people to vote. In this coming election, there is a high possibility that indelible ink will be introduced into the voting process which takes additional time as it is a new process which has not been explained clearly to the public; people will be confused and may ask questions. Let us not slow down the process and allow everyone to have the chance to vote on Polling Day and during the designated time - i.e. 8.00 a.m. - 5.30 p.m.

PLEASE bring along your own pencil ERASER. It is VITAL that we get this information across to as many people as possible.

The Voter Agent Training recently conducted at the PJ Civic Centre brought to the fore some very critical issues which every Voter ought to know.

These are:

1. As soon as you enter the polling station, you will be ushered to Kerani 1, who will check your personal identity against your NRIC.

He/she will then read out your name, NRIC number and the Siri/Bilangan number in accordance to the List provided by the Election Commission (SPR).

2. Once all that is verified, Kerani 1 will pass your NRIC to the next officer, Kerani 2.

3. Here, Kerani 2 will hand you a ‘Kertas Undi,’ which is identified by its Serial Number.

As a Voter, please know your rights. You have the constitutional right under our Election Laws to NOT accept the ‘Kertas Undi’ that the officer assigns to you. You CAN and should ask for a different ‘Kertas Undi’ from a different book.

To do that, just say to the officer, “Encik (or Cik), saya minta Kertas Undi dari buku lain atau dari bawah.” Translated, that is, “Sir (or Madam), I like to request a different ballot paper from a different book or from below.”

This must be done so that the Voter CANNOT be identified via the SPR’s Master List. It will take just ONE voter to upset the whole sequence, which will eventually affect the SPR’s Master List for that voting centre. The aim of doing this is to SAFEGUARD every Voter’s identity. No one has the right to know how you want to vote.

4. Once your ‘Kertas Undi’ is issued to you, just stand there and do NOT leave immediately. Instead please CHECK BOTH SIDES of the ballot paper in order to ensure that there are NO pencil markings or Any other form of suspicious markings on it. If there are, REJECT the ballot paper issued to you and instead request for these markings to be either erased to your satisfaction or for you to be issued with a new ‘Kertas Undi.’

Also do NOT accept any loose-lying ‘Kertas Undi,’ which may have been strewn about because it was rejected by someone else earlier. ALWAYS ask for a fresh ballot paper from the book.

An alternative, as suggested by certain other people via email, is to bring along your own eraser so that when you see any pencil marks, you can rub them off completely yourself.

5. Kerani 2 will then hand the ‘Kertas Undi’ to the next officer, Kerani 3.

Kerani 3 carries a seal, which will be used to stamp your ‘Kertas Undi.’

PLEASE watch carefully that the officer stamps your ballot paper FULLY and CLEARLY. After that, see that it is folded into two before the ballot paper is handed over to you.

Incomplete stamp mark can and will render your ballot paper as spoiled vote.

6. You can now proceed to the voting booth.

7. At the booth, please ensure that the ballot paper has only your ONE marking of a single X. If for whatever reason, suspicious or otherwise, you over-looked some pencil marks of numbers or markings on the front or back of the ballot paper (ie other than your own mark), please ERASE those markings completely.

REMEMBER, these markings can and will render your ballot spoiled – so be Extra Cautious. The most careful approach is to check your ‘Kertas Undi’ thoroughly before you accept it from the officer.

REMEMBER to check it in front of the relevant officer so that if you have to reject it, he is right in front of you.

8. Do not be afraid or cower in fear when you have to express your objections because there are representatives from the various participating political parties who will be there to observe the whole voting process and they are there to assist you as and when you need.

As mentioned earlier, it is this kind of information that GUILTY PARTY does not want others to know. They thrive on public ignorance so that they can do whatever they feel like brazenly.

One way to stop them is to send this information to as many of your friends as possible so that everyone, on voting day, knows exactly what to do, knows his/her constitutional voting rights and is aware of.

Print this out and keep it safely. When Voting Day finally arrives, it will be handy for you to access and read again.

- Maria Chin Abdullah
Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (EMPOWER)
13 Lorong 4/48e, Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Malaysia
Tel: 603-77844977
Fax: 603-77844978

BERSIH 2.0:
Tel: 603-77723275
h/p: 0169670921_._

 A WORD ON INDELIBLE INK.

Please allow them to mark your finger with indelible ink. This is to prevent multiple voting. However, if possible, have them mark it only on the nails, and NOT on the palms, as this may smudge and dirty the voting paper. Take care in drying the indelible ink, so as NOT to dirty the palms, so that it will not dirty the voting paper.

The voting paper should only have one mark, the X that you have printed.

Today EC will announce nomination and GE 13 voting day.

HAPPY VOTING.

YOUR VOTE COUNTS.

Change we must. Change we can. Change we shall.