THE Election Commission has to step up its efforts in assisting postal voters in the coming Johor state elections, Teo Nie Ching said.

The Kulai lawmaker said it is crucial that the EC provides an opportunity for the Johor people who are unable to return to vote and to register as postal voters.

“However, they are given until this Friday only, by February 18, to register.

“Such a short notice carries the probability that voters may not know that they need to register as postal voters,” she said in a statement.

Teo said the EC must disclose how many people have registered as postal voters for the Johor elections.

“I urge the EC to reveal how many postal voters have been successfully registered for proof that this process is public knowledge.

“If it turns out that not many have been successfully registered as postal voters, the EC must extend the deadline.”

The 15th Johor elections are on March 12. Nominations is on February 26 and early voting on March 8.

The electoral roll has 5.8 million voters who were added to the master electoral roll and released on January 21, following the implementation of automatic voter registration and Undi18.

The electoral roll has 2,597,742 names – 2,574,835 regular voters, 10,955 members of the military and their spouses, 11,576 members of the police force and their spouses and 376 overseas voters.

Teo added they have also received many complaints where voters experienced various technical problems to register as postal voters on the EC website.

“Among them were not being able to upload an identity card photo, not being able to choose a birthday and some take two or three days to create an account on the website.

“All these technical difficulties have prevented voters from completing the registration of their accounts and the EC should be responsible for this problem.”

“The EC should provide several polling centres abroad, especially in Singapore.

“If it is true that the EC wants to uphold a fair voting process for all, especially Johor voters who reside in Singapore and cannot afford to return, then they must mobilise their best to increase the voting percentage,” Teo added.