Electoral reform group Bersih has rebutted Election Commission (EC) chief Mohd Hashim Abdullah's claim that a constitutional amendment is required to allow East Malaysians to vote for their home constituency from Peninsula Malaysia where they work and study.

Hashim had said such absentee voting system could not be done as a two-thirds majority was required for the constitutional amendment.

"This is untrue as all the EC needs to do is amend the election rules which is already under the jurisdiction of the EC, particularly the Elections (Conduct of Elections) Regulations 1981 and Elections (Registration of Electors) Regulations 2002," said the Bersih steering committee.

For example, Bersih said it had introduced early voting and overseas postal voting in the last general election without requiring a constitutional amendment...