Allow Postal Voting for East Malaysians residing in Peninsular Malaysia

29 March 2026

KOTA KINABALU: The President of Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR), Datuk Seri Panglima Jeffrey G. Kitingan, has called for postal voting rights to be extended to Sabahans and Sarawakians residing in Peninsular Malaysia and other parts of the country.

In a statement, Dr Jeffrey said the recent call by 23 Sarawak non-governmental organisations for postal voting access should be applied equally to voters from Sabah.

He urged both the Federal Government and the Sabah State Government to adopt the proposal and for the Election Commission of Malaysia to implement it without delay.

He pointed out that voters in Peninsular Malaysia who are outside their home states can return to vote at relatively low cost by road or rail.

In contrast, Sabahans and Sarawakians must rely on expensive air travel, often facing limited flight availability, which can prevent them from exercising their voting rights.

Dr Jeffrey also highlighted what he described as an inconsistency in the current system, noting that Malaysians living overseas are permitted to vote by post in cities such as London, New York and across Australia, while Sabahans and Sarawakians residing in Kuala Lumpur are not afforded the same convenience.

He said he had raised the issue on numerous occasions, both publicly and in Parliament, but claimed that successive Federal administrations had yet to take action.

“Whatever the reasons or concerns regarding voting trends, there is no justification for denying Sabah and Sarawak voters the right to elect their representatives in their home states,” he said.

Dr Jeffrey added that implementing postal voting would not be a complex process, explaining that it would only require expanding the categories of eligible postal voters under the Elections (Postal Voting) Regulations 2003 and formalising the changes through a government gazette.

He expressed confidence that such measures could be carried out within two months, in time to benefit voters ahead of the next Sarawak state election, which is expected by mid-2027.

The move would also set a precedent for Sabah voters in future state elections, he added.