UNIVERSITY students in Sarawak have launched a #JuhBalitNgundi crowdfunding campaign to enable fellow students who are not able to afford transport costs to return home and vote.

The students in Siswa Balik are collaborating with civil society organisation, Rise of Sarawak Efforts (ROSE), which will make the appeal for funds or donations to help get the students home to vote.

The students said a donation of RM110 could send a student from Kuching to Miri, and with RM200 from Kuching to Limbang by bus or van.

“Of course, if the student is from deeper inland, like in Baram, it will cost much more,” the group said in a media conference in Kuching today.

The group’s target for this initiative is RM50,000.

Siswa Balik said it took a survey on October 24 and found that 76.8% of the 505 students polled said they wanted to vote but could not afford the fare back to their home constituency.

Of the 505 students, 42.6% are studying in Sarawak, 14.7% in Johor, 12.9% in Perlis and 12.5% in Selangor.

The students in Siswa Balik said the findings from their survey seemed to indicate that voter turnout, especially among the youths, could be “very worrying”.

“Since Undi18 has been ratified, we question the government’s commitment in realising youth participation in the democratic process.

“These numbers are proof that youths are eager to exercise their voting rights and take part in the electoral process of this country, but they are hindered due to financial constraints.

“The transport costs are simply too high for students, especially when the (cost of) flights is more than RM700 for a return Kuching–Kuala Lumpur ticket.”

The students said if the majority of their classmates could not return home and vote, the Undi18 law will be just an empty promise.

The survey also showed 83.4% of the respondents agreed that the Election Commission should allow Sarawak students studying in other parts of the country the right to postal voting, while 16.3% wanted the state government to give students “special heavily discounted” transport rates.

“We thus demand the Election Commission resolve this matter by granting all Sarawak students, specifically those who are pursuing their studies in other states, the right to vote by post or alternatively vote in advance from their respective universities.

“We, in Siswa Balik, ardently believe in accessible voting as an integral part in youth voting rights, and we should always ease the voting process.

“It is high time for the government, politicians, and the Election Commission, take heed and take immediate action to remedy this problem,” the students added. – November 3, 2022.