PARIS While many Malaysians who registered for postal voting found the process to be generally well organised, others pointed out teething problems that the Election Commission (EC) will have to address.

NONE Lim Pau-Lynn ( left ), who has lived in Paris for almost two years, found that everything was in order and not as complicated as she had feared.

“Since this is the first time I’m voting, I was a little nervous last night. I watched a lot of videos and tried to be well informed, so as not to make any mistakes. But it was all fairly simple,” she said yesterday, after casting her vote.

She also said it was an exciting experience to be able to vote for her representatives, and expressed her hopes for a clean and fair election.

Business analyst Joan-Lynn Chong, who pointed out that the rules and documents are all in Bahasa Malaysia, suggested a translation in English to facilitate those who have been away from Malaysia for a long time.

NONE “As I haven’t had to use Malay since high school, it is a bit difficult for me,” she explained, although the process itself was “fast, efficient and straightforward”.

Uzair Abdul Nasir (right) , a member of an airline cabin crew, drove three hours to the embassy in Paris just to cast his vote, saying it is his responsibility as a citizen to vote and make his voice heard.

“It is the first time I’m voting ... The government should have allowed this (postal voting) a long time ago,” he said.

Asked to comment on the transparency of the process, he said he has no choice but to trust the embassy to be fair and clean in handling the ballots.

NONE Wan Ummul Fathanah ( left ), who works for Unesco, said she is happy to be able to exercise her right to vote.

“I hope that the others will do the same and vote too. We all have one vote per person and we should exercise it,” she added, noting the need for a fair process and procedures to prevent abuse.

Amiruddin Hamidun a business executive living in Lyon, said he has doubts about the transparency of the process.

“I am not happy with the fact that it is the embassy staff who are working as EC agents. They have to be transparent,” he said.

While uncertain if his vote will be "manipulated", he is satisfied that he has done his part by turning up to vote.

Glitches in process

Civil engineer Sek Chin Yong ( below ) complained that the EC had only notified him of his postal-voter status on Saturday, in spite of the numerous enquiries.

NONE “I sent in my application form the first week that EC announced that postal votes are allowed. But I did not receive any reply until (Saturday),” he said.

Dr Selva Pillai said the EC should announce the postal-vote date earlier, so that those concerned can make arrangements.

“...Thank God I am available today,” she said, in pointing to the difficulties of juggling her work schedule.

NONE Selva (right) thanked Bersih for making it possible for more Malaysians - other than civil servants and students abroad - to exercise their right to vote.

The presence of independent observers is a step towards greater transparency in the voting system, she said of those stationed to scrutinise the process.

Aidil Hannan Adnan, a government-sponsored student pursuing a Masters degree, was taken aback because his name was not on the list of postal voters.

He said he had filled the required forms with other Malaysian students and sent these to the embassy via an employee there.

“Some students are registered and some are not. I just came to check again to be sure,” he added.

Another student, Azlan Kamarudin, discovered that he is not a voter despite having registered as one.

It is learnt that 137 Malaysians are registered as postal voters in France. At least 50 turned up, but the number does not include embassy employees.

Two voters could not vote as their envelope did not contain ballot papers.

When asked about this, the independent observers and an agent for the EC declined to comment or disclose any information.

CHRISTINE CHAN, a former member of the Malaysiakini team, is based in Paris.