THE Election Commission is unsure if the automatic voter registration (AVR) system will be ready in time for the Sarawak elections, which are due by July 2021.

“We will be setting the schedules and timelines on how AVR can be done and we will update the political parties on progress from time to time.

“But it’s too early to say whether it will be ready in time for Sarawak polls,” said Azhar Azizan Harun, in Putrajaya today.

The state elections are widely expected to be held sometime next year, ahead of end of terms in 2021.

Earlier, at the EC forum, “Make a Change, Let’s Do It Together”, Azhar said he “hoped” the AVR system would be ready in 18 months.

Speaking to reporters on the  forum sidelines, Azhar said there were technical aspects that needed to be set up,  including a new system to register new voters as they turn 18.

He said the policymakers would also have to decide when to implement the new system, and that until then,18-year-olds would not be able to vote or stand for election.

“That has to be bipartisan. There are two schools of thought on that – one side feels 18-year-olds can vote only when automatic voter registration is in effect while another feels it can done immediately.
 
“But that’s for the policymakers to decide,” he said.“EC has to create a new system that incorporates the databases of the National Registration Department, the Prisons Department and the Ministry of Health.

“Database aside, the EC also has to clean up the electoral roll and roll out an awareness campaign for voters to change their address. The existing roll has voters with addresses that no longer exist.”

Finally, when everything is in place, he said the EC would have to discuss with the political parties and the government when it should be operational.
 
“Until then, voter registration is still by conventional methods. – July 18, 2019.