KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian activists have come together to help out-of-town voters cast their ballots in next month’s general election, which is set to take place during the monsoon season.
Comprising various groups including PulangMengundi (Return to vote), UndiRabu (Wednesday vote), CarpoolGE, and KitaJagaKita (We look after ourselves), the umbrella UndiBanjir initiative aims to help those with financial difficulties return to their hometowns.
Undi means vote in Malay, while banjir means floods.
The movement is an extension of the 2018 UndiRabu movement which was set up because the general election was held on a Wednesday, a working day, making it harder for many voters to return.
It is subsidising travel costs, arranging carpools and preparing relief efforts in the event of floods.
UndiRabu co-founder Alzari Mahshar told The Straits Times they would focus on first-time voters and public university students, who mostly have financial constraints.
Those who are flying between the Borneo states and Peninsular Malaysia will get RM200 (S$60) while those travelling within Peninsular Malaysia will get RM100.
PulangMengundi co-founder Joe Lee said it is preparing for a bigger challenge this year due to the forecast floods.
“This time around, it will be very different because there are two parts to this that we need to tackle, undi and banjir,” Mr Lee told ST.
Various groups have banded together as the potential situation is “too big for us to handle”, he said.
They have enlisted volunteers and are preparing boats, four-wheel drives and hygiene packs.
The annual monsoon season is forecast to begin in mid-November and will lead into Malaysia’s polls on Nov 19.
This year, there will also be 1.2 million additional young, first-time voters added to the electoral roll, following the passing of the Undi18 law which lowered the voting age to 18 from 21.
And activists anticipate that these voters, who include university students, may face issues travelling back to their hometowns.
Postal ballots are only allowed for Malaysians who live overseas, while those based in Malaysia but outside of their home states must travel home in order to vote.
The Global Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) and Undi18 are also working with UndiBanjir by collecting postal votes from around the world and delivering them before the deadline, said Mr Lee.
This is because the Election Commission will only be issuing postal ballots after Nomination Day on Nov 5, and voters will once again have to rush to get ballots home by Nov 19, similar to what happened in 2018.
Volunteers will fly back with postal ballots to Malaysia, where they will be sorted according to Parliament and state ballots, and delivered.
UndiRabu’s Mr Alzari said it would be challenging if there were floods, as polling stations – which are usually schools – may have to double as evacuation shelters.
“If floods occur, UndiBanjir has a checklist of what you can get, how to get help and who are the teams to help. We have encountered floods, but we have not seen two big occasions running concurrently – floods and also national voting,” he told ST.
CarpoolGE15 co-founder Naim Ahmad said it has gained more than 2,000 subscribers on Telegram and Twitter, seeking matches for destinations and drivers since it was launched on Oct 21. He expects the number to rise after it is launched on Facebook and during the last week of campaigning.
“We want to deliver the right of every Malaysian to go out to the polls and vote to exercise their democracy,” said Mr Lee.
The opposition has criticised Mr Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s government for forcing a general election in November, saying that the heavy rain and floods expected during the month would create dangerous conditions for Malaysians.
Last year, Malaysia saw one of its worst floods in history, causing an estimated RM6.5 billion in property damage and at least 54 deaths.
