Register to vote, Malaysian MP urges Malaysians overseas

Teresa Kok met with Malaysians in Melbourne at a Q&A session at Ross House last night. Photo: Alvin Chia

MALAYSIANS in Australia should register to vote to pressure the government to allow overseas voting, says Malaysian Member of Parliament Teresa Kok.

In town with a trade delegation, the Selangor State Minister for Investment, Trade and Industry and opposition party member took time to meet with Malaysians in Melbourne last night.

Around 40 people attended the Q&A session at Ross House on Flinders Lane.

Ms Kok commended Malaysians in Australia for supporting electoral reform back home, and said the turnout at Melbourne’s Bersih rally on July 9 was a sign of support in numbers for clean and fair elections in Malaysia.

“I was very touched by all of you. I know Melbourne had the most people who gathered together,” she said.

Ms Kok said it was now important for all Malaysians in Australia to register to vote even though no provisions have been made to enable overseas voting.

“There is still hope. If you manage to mount enough pressure, there may be a chance that one day you’ll be allowed to vote in Australia,” she said.

She added that talks were underway with relevant officials to makes overseas voting possible for Malaysians.

But some Malaysians, like Wei Tuet Woon who was there at the talk, said he was not taking any chances.

“I will fly back specially to vote,” the former international student said.

Ms Kok also touched on Malaysia’s “brain drain crisis”.

She said she hoped Malaysians would return home to help the country’s brain drain problem.

“There are 60,000 jobs waiting in Selangor alone…Think of what is happening in Malaysia and come back,” she said.