Over 2.2 million new voters since 2008

(Bernama) – Up to 2,270,002 people, a majority of them Malays, registered as voters between 2008 and 2011, the Dewan Negara was told.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong said 155,420 registered in 2008; 279,270 in 2009; 826,462 in 2010 and 1,008,850 in 2011.

He was replying to Senator Datuk Ng Fook Heng who had asked for a racial breakdown of the people who registered as voters from 2008.

Liew said that in 2008, Malays comprised 82,309 of the new voters or 53%, Chinese 29.4% and Indians 8.1%.

In 2009, Malays made up 187,828 of the new voters or 67.3%, Chinese 19.8% and Sarawak bumiputras 4.8% while in 2010, Malays comprised 466,137 of the new voters or 56.4%, Chinese 27% and Indians 6.6%, he said.

In 2011, the breakdown was 611,498 or 60.6% Malays, 22% Chinese and 6.7% Indians.

Liew said statistics of the Election Commission showed that Selangor registered the highest number of 165,222 voters during that period, followed by Johor (124,240), Perak (96,710), Sabah (86,927), Kedah (84,704), Kelantan (69,344), Penang (64,029), Sarawak (63,305), Kuala Lumpur (61,040), Pahang (59,639), Terengganu (45,190), Negeri Sembilan (42,009), Melaka (31,827), Perlis (9,881), Labuan (2,863) and Putrajaya (1,920).