EC: Transgenders can vote too

They have to fill in and sign a form to confirm their identity before casting their ballots

SEREMBAN: The Election Commission will not stop transgender voters from casting their ballots despite a different gender stated in their MyKads.

EC Election Academy registrar Nik Aminudin Nik Shahar Shah said a voter who appeared as a lady but with a MyKad that showed he’s a man would still be allowed to vote.

Polling clerks, he said might face difficulties verifying the person’s identity.

Nik Aminudin said the clerk would inform the presiding officer and the voter would have to fill in and sign Form 11.

“This is to confirm that he or she is the same person in the MyKad, before being allowed to vote.

“As long as the person has a valid MyKad and the person’s name is found in the list of registered voters, he or she will not be turned away,” he said.

Nik Aminudin also said voters who accidentally dirtied their ballot paper with indelible ink, marked it wrongly or changed their mind after marking it could also ask for a replacement.

He said the presiding officer would declare the vote as void and issue a new ballot paper.

The void ballot paper will be crossed and the word Rosak (Spoilt) will be written on it.

The voter is not allowed to take the void ballot paper out of the polling station.

Nik Aminudin said there was no rule or regulation limiting how many replacement ballot papers a voter could ask for, but the presiding officer at the polling station would have the final say.

Launched in 2007, the Election Academy has been holding briefings for media personnel on the election process and the coverage procedure during the polls.

These briefings include a simulation of the balloting and vote counting process at polling centres.

As long as the person has a valid MyKad and the person’s name is found in the list of registered voters, he or she will not be turned away.

Nik Aminudin Nik Shahar Shah