Registering as a first time voter overseas

Registering to vote

Things you need

  • Malaysian Passport or Identity Card (MyKad)
  • Work or student visa grant letter
  • Copies of each document

If you're registering overseas, you will be registered as an Absent Voter (Pengundi Tidak Hadir). As an Absent Voter, you will vote in the elections through postal voting until you have graduated or retired from public service. Your vote is still cast in the constituency of your home address in Malaysia.

Register online!

If you have your Malaysian identity card and a phone number, register online using MySPR Daftar. This process takes a day and saves you the trouble of visiting a Malaysian Mission. More details here.


1. Eligibility

In addition to the general eligibility requirements, you can only register to vote if you're a:

  • government servant working with a local authority, state or federal government
  • full-time student
  • military personnel

Spouses of anyone who works in these occupations are also allowed to register to vote as an absentee voter.

You must have spent at least 30 non-consecutive days in Malaysia within the last 5 years.


2. Go to a Malaysian Mission

Find your nearest Malaysian Mission and make an appointment with them. Ask if the election officer-in-charge is in on the day you plan to visit. Bring your documents and hand them over to the Officer-in-charge to verify your identity.

The officer will fill in an absent voter form (Form A) and keep copies of your documents. Sign this form and keep a copy of the form for your reference.

Keep the copy of the absent voter form (Form A) that is given to you. You will need this form to file any claims of inaccuracies or missing details on the Electoral Roll.

3. Wait and check your details

Your details will not be added to the electoral roll of your district immediately. Applications are processed at the end of March, June, September and December and will be displayed on the SPR and Malaysian Missions website for public scrutiny. This takes about 3 months from the last day of the quarter you registered for your name to appear on the electoral roll.

For example, if you registered to vote in April - June, your name will appear in the electoral roll by September.

Continuously check your registration status on the Election Commission website. Enter your Identity Card or MyTentera card number into the form, then complete the Captcha field to continue.

Disclaimer

While we have made every attempt to ensure that the information contained on the Website is correct, we are not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. Information on the Website is for general information purposes only and is not intended to provide any type of professional advice. If you need up-to-date, professional advice, you should contact SPR for more details.

Malaysian Progressives in Australia (MPOZ) is a movement of young Malaysians in Australia who strive for open dialogue of political reform in Malaysia