Former EC chairman Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman backed a proposal to empower the commission to update voters’ polling addresses based on their MyKad details, but said that the move would be pointless unless the root of the problem – inaccurate addresses – is fixed first.

His comments echo concerns raised by EC commissioner Zoe Randhawa, who cited cases where voters were still registered at residential blocks demolished decades ago, distorting the true representation of constituencies.

“The law is already there, but it’s not being enforced. That is what the National Registration Department needs to answer. The government must take this seriously because it affects politics and elections. Enforce Regulation 15,” he told FMT.

Regulation 15 of the National Registration Regulations 1990 requires identity card holders to update their address if they move to a new residence where they will stay for at least 90 days.

Rashid, who served as EC chairman from 2000 to 2008, said enforcing the rule would address multiple issues at once, including reducing the need for voters to travel long distances just to cast their ballots.

It would also simplify the voting process, which could help raise voter turnout.

“For example, those from Kelantan have been living and working in Selangor for years, but their MyKad address remains in Kelantan. When elections come, they have to return to Kelantan to vote,” he said.

On Nov 20, the EC proposed structural reforms which would allow it to directly update voters’ polling addresses in line with their MyKad records, as part of efforts to strengthen a residence-based voting system.

Randhawa emphasised the principle that voters should cast their ballots where they live, not based on their birthplace or ancestral home, as stipulated under Article 119 of the Federal Constitution.

She said existing legal constraints had led to outdated voter records, leading to wider implications on how MPs are elected.