Kota kinabalu: The Election Commission (EC) today commenced the process of issuing postal ballot papers for the 17th Sabah State Election. This process involves preparing and reviewing the ballot papers before they are sent to voters.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, postal voters are classified into three groups – Category 1A (domestic), Category 1B (overseas), and Category 1C (agencies and organisations). Category 1A includes EC members and officers, election officials, police and military personnel unable to be present for early voting or polling day, as well as media personnel covering the entire election period.

Category 1B encompasses voters residing abroad, while Category 1C is designated for members of various agencies on duty and unable to vote on polling day. These include personnel from the Royal Malaysia Police Volunteer Reserve, the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, the Prisons Department, the Health Department, the Immigration Department, the Civil Defence Force, the National Disaster Management Agency, National Registration Department officers at Urban Transformation Centres, and staff of Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd.

The EC has set November 29 as the polling day for the 17th Sabah state election, with early voting scheduled for November 25.