The latest statement from Election Commission (EC) chairperson Mohd Hashim Abdullah on why Malaysia is not ready for automatic voter registration is yet another lame justification at hindering those of eligible age from becoming registered voters.

“There may be some things which we do not deem serious, but is taken seriously by certain parties. Especially when we make changes. If we are not prepared, but we proceed to do the changes, then many issues will arise,” he said.

Many political parties including the DAP and NGOs like Bersih have been urging automatic voter registration since 2012. Five years later, and to add the chairperson’s vague statement above, it is clear that the EC has not even bothered to examine the possibility and technicalities of implementing automatic voter registration.

In fact, I cannot imagine how complex the process could be. After all, the EC can link systems with the National Registration Department (NRD) such that once a registered citizen reaches the age of 21, he or she is automatically added to the electoral roll. Furthermore, automatic voter registration would actually increase the accuracy of the electoral roll as voters would be registered with their most current addresses.

I would also like to remind the chairperson on how the EC has been less than cooperative in facilitating voter registration. Circa 2013, the EC ceased the renewal of political parties’ Assistant Registrar Officers (AROs), forcing them to rely on EC officers to help with VR drives. A number of conditions were imposed - no outdoor venues like pasar pagi/malam, no VRs at night, etc.

So political parties complied by holding VR drives at shopping malls during weekends. During the VR itself, despite numerous verbal and written reminders to bring enough forms, the EC officers did not, leaving hundreds of the public who had queued up at the booths stranded without forms and unable to register. Surely this is hardly efficient, Mr Chairperson.

More recently, according to a March 3 Facebook posting by Kuala Kubu Baru DAP assemblyperson YB Lee Kee Hiong, the heads of Kg Pasir Kerling Village Development and Security Committee Yusoff Stak and his counterpart in Ampang Pecah, Rihajuddin Anwarkhan @ Tajol, had requested an additional 1,000 forms from the EC’s Selangor office. They were given 100 forms each - only 10 percent of the number requested.

With 4.1 million unregistered voters across Malaysia, the EC’s refusal to implement automatic voter registration and reinstate AROs of political parties is a clear, concentrated effort unbecoming of a national institution to tilt the scales towards Barisan Nasional and frustrate citizens from exercising their democratic right to vote in the next general election.

Register now, decide later

As a young adult, I urge my peers - register yourselves now. You may not support a particular party now. You may be disgusted with the politicking, the inane statements by politicians, the state of the economy and job market or how financially challenging it is now to get married or purchase a house.

You can change this by registering to vote. Take a day off, head to the closest post office and register as a voter. It is free and you only have to do it once to be able to vote in subsequent elections. Don’t just commiserate over your teh tarik. For if you aren’t eligible to vote when GE14 arrives, all your complaints will be, as Shakespeare said, “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing”.

LIM YI WEI is special assistant to Tony Pua, MP for Petaling Jaya Utara; and is a councillor with the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ).