For this upcoming 15th General Election, the Elections Commission (SPR) has banned smartphones from the polling booth. It’s seen as a move to prevent vote-buying as voters could be promised rewards if they can provide proof of voting for a certain candidate. Obviously, most people wouldn’t want to leave their phones at home or in their cars and SPR has provided a video guide showing where you can keep your phone before you cast your vote.
After verifying your name and having your finger inked at the polling station, you will need to place your phone inside a paper tray on the table of the Ketua Tempat Mengundi (KTM). Then you can proceed to enter the polling booth to mark your ballot paper.
Take note that taking pictures of your ballot paper is strictly forbidden as all parties including voters must ensure the secrecy of the ballot as outlined under the Election Offences Act 1954. Violators of the Act would face a maximum one-year jail term or a fine of up to RM3,000, or both.
Once you’ve dropped your ballot into the designated ballot boxes, you can return to the KTM’s table to collect your phone before leaving the polling station. For a clearer idea, you can watch the official SPR video below:
Alternatively, you can check out SPR’s infographic on the 10-step voting process below:
GE15 is happening tomorrow Saturday, 19th November 2022 and Malaysians will decide who will form the next government. All Malaysian adults aged 18 years old and above are automatically registered as voters in their respective constituency. You can find out the exact location to vote via MySPRSemak and do take a screenshot for your own offline reference.
All voters must bring their IC to the polling station for verification purposes. If your IC is lost or stolen, the EC has confirmed that voters can bring alternative identification documents including a valid Malaysian driver’s licence and Malaysian passport.
Related reading
- GE15: IC lost or stolen? Here’s how you can still vote without a MyKad
- Smartphones have been banned from polling booth when voting during GE15
- GE15: This is how to check which candidates you can vote for based on your area
- Malaysians! This is how to check your GE15 polling location in just a few seconds
