Sabah polls: Bersih urges CM to give heads up on dissolution date

Summary

• Bersih urges Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor to announce the state assembly dissolution date early to help voters outside Sabah plan their return for the state election.

• About 200,000 Sabahans work or study in Peninsular Malaysia, and returning home to vote is often a logistical challenge.

Bersih has called on Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor to announce the dissolution date of the Sabah state assembly in advance to facilitate better preparation for the upcoming state election.

With the state election expected to be held this year, Bersih emphasised that an early announcement would allow voters residing outside Sabah - whether for work or study - to plan their return home and exercise their democratic rights.

It quoted Sabah PKR chairperson and Deputy Higher Education Minister Mustapha Sakmud, who estimated that 200,000 Sabahans live and work in Peninsular Malaysia, making it crucial for the state government to consider their voting accessibility.

The electoral watchdog pointed out that flight tickets could be very costly.

"Without a clear election date, voters outside Sabah face difficulties in planning their trips, particularly in securing affordable flight tickets.

"Airfares can skyrocket to thousands of ringgit, making it financially challenging for many to return home.

“Additionally, work and study commitments further limit their ability to participate in the election," it said in a statement today.

Low turnout

Bersih highlighted the low voter turnout in the previous state election in 2020 which stood at only 66 percent.

It also cited Institut Darul Ehsan (IDE) research, which showed that youth voter turnout was significantly lower in the 15th general election - with only 56 percent for voters aged 18-24 and 54.4 percent for those aged 25-30.

In its GE15 Election Monitoring Report, Bersih found that only 20 out of 925 Sabah students at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) managed to return home to vote.

The group also noted that early notification would provide sufficient time for the Election Commission, law enforcement, and other relevant authorities to make logistical and security arrangements to ensure a smooth election process.

Additionally, political parties and candidates would be able to prepare their campaigns more fairly and effectively, Bersih said.

Bersih stressed that voting is a fundamental right, and any barriers to electoral participation must be minimised.

The group urged all stakeholders, including civil society organisations and political parties, to push for a more transparent and inclusive election that ensures equal access for all voters.

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