Saturday January 12, 2013

Male voters exceed female

zora@thestar.com.my

KUCHING: Voters aged between 40 and 49 make up the highest number in Sarawak at 264,799.

They comprise 24.76% of the total registered voters of 1,069,654 in the state as at Sept 30 last year. The latest electoral roll was gazetted on Nov 27.

The second biggest age group is 30 to 39 with 224,414 voters or 20.98%, followed closely by those who are 50 to 59 at 223,040 voters (20.85%).

The fourth biggest age group is 21 to 29 with 134,949 voters (12.62%), followed by those who are 60 to 69 with 129,922 voters (12.15%), 70 to 79 has 63,171 voters (5.91%) and 80 to 89 has 23,055 voters (2.16%).

Voters who are 90 and above are the least at 6,304 or 0.59%.

From the total number of voters, 21,333 are absent voters comprising those serving in the army (12,335), police (8,923) and overseas (75).

The latest electoral roll also showed that there are more male voters than female at 535,138 (50.08%) against 534,516 (49.97%).

Speaking to The Star here yesterday, Election Commission (EC) state director Datuk Takun Sunggah said the EC normally took about two months to update the electoral roll.

The process included deleting those who had passed away besides adding new voters to the list, he said.

He said the present electoral roll was as of Sept 30 last year which was gazetted on Nov 27 last year.

Assuming that the general election is called late February or early March, he said, chances were high that the electoral roll gazetted last November would be used.

“I don’t think those who registered end of December could cast their votes in time. But if the polls are called in April, they would be able to cast their votes.”

In the last state election on April 16, 2011, there were 970,436 voters as of September 2010. The electoral roll was gazetted on Dec 27, 2010.

Takun said the second round of training for returning officers, presiding officers and polling clerks would take place after the Lunar New Year celebrations in February for Sarawak.

There are 31 returning officers, about 2,800 presiding officers and about 8,400 polling clerks in the state.

Takun said the second round of training for those in the peninsula would be held next week and he would be attending as an observer.

“The training for peninsula is held earlier than in Sarawak. Our colleagues from the peninsula will be coming over to assist us next month for the training which will take four to five days to complete.”

A special briefing for journalists in the state would also be held after the training session since they could register as postal voters this time around, said Takun.

Journalists from 19 gazetted media organisations had to apply to be postal voters and their applications certified by their respective employers, he said.

“It’s not automatic,” he said adding that postal vote only applied to those who had to cover the polling day and outstation.

Citing an example, he said a reporter who cast his vote in Serian but had to be on duty in Kuching would be eligible to apply for postal vote.

“But if he is assigned to cover the election within Serian area, he is not eligible,” Takun said.

News

Saturday January 12, 2013

Male voters exceed female

zora@thestar.com.my