THE Election Commission (EC) has identified more than two million voters who are eligible to vote in the next general election.

EC chairman Azhar Azizan Harun said these voters were identified ahead of the launch of new automatic voter registration system.

Automatic voter registration is to be introduced in tandem with the lowering of the voting age from 21 to 18.

Azahar said the EC hoped to implement the computerised automatic voter registration system by the middle of next year.

“The tender for the electoral system has been awarded and the process is taking place.

“We target by mid-next year. It will be ready,” he said after meeting with the special select committees  on election and major public appointments at Menara SPR in Putrajaya.

Azhar said the registered address of the voter will determine where he will vote.

“When a person has registered as a voter we will have to look at their address and their locality this in turn will show where they will vote. The SPR has already done it manually.”

Azhar said the EC was proceeding cautiously with the electronic voting system.

“We still want to get the experts’ opinion. I’m worried about the security of the system, whether it is functional and if it is prone to hackers. We are still concerned about that.

“Of course, we have the blockchain suggestion but the blockchain, there are those who are pro-blockchain and those who are against blockchain so we really have to take a look at it before we make any decisions.”

The 15th general election will see seven million new voters going to the polls, following recent changes to the country’s voting laws. – January 22, 2020.