Saudi Gazette, 30 April 2013
JEDDAH — Sixty-three registered Malaysian voters living in the western region of the Kingdom cast their votes for the 13th General Election (GE 13) at the Malaysian Consulate in Jeddah, Sunday.
A total 83 Malaysian expatriates living in the region registered their votes.
Malaysian Consul General in Jeddah, Mohammed Khalid Abbasi Abdul Razak, said that out of the total, around 79 were postal voters, namely Malaysians who had registered to vote overseas and had fulfilled the conditions, whereas the balance were absentee voters who are mainly government officials and their spouses.
Razak lauded the proactive move by the Election Commission of Malaysia to allow registration for overseas Malaysians and subsequently for them to vote without having to travel back home.
He views voting as a special rights and privilege in which Malaysians are given a say in the future of the country.
He explained that previously, only full-time students as well as civil servants and their spouses were allowed to vote by post.
This time a total of 103 Malaysian missions overseas conducted and facilitated the voting process for citizens living abroad.
A total of 6,298 Malaysians overseas have registered for postal voting along with 2,900 absentee voters.
Meanwhile, Azhari, a first-time oversees voter, praised the Consulate General for conducting the voting process in a transparent and professional manner.
He, however, needs to wait anxiously until Sunday, when the nationwide polling day will be held to decide the future of Malaysia.
Overseas Malaysians casting their votes in the Malaysian consulate in Jeddah, Monday— Courtesy photo