Dr Kelvin Yii
KUCHING (Feb 16): The federal Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican has been urged to assure that the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition government remains committed to implement the Undi18 amendments to allow more youth to participate in the country’s electoral process.
Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii said it was disheartening to hear that the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal stating the youth was not ready to vote in the country’s elections.
“This puts the current historic Undi18 amendments in a limbo even after two years since it received unanimous support from both the government and opposition under the Pakatan Harapan government even in the midst of a highly partisan political climate,” he said in a statement.
Dr Yii said there would be about 3.8 million youths between the ages of 18 to 20 eligible to vote in the next general election, due by 2023, if the Undi18 amendments was implemented.
“By right, a young leader such as himself (Wan Ahmad Fayhsal) should have been in the forefront to push for such empowerment agenda and for youth to have a bigger say in our country’s democratic process, rather than playing-down the readiness and role of the youth that he supposedly represents.”
Dr Yii said the most common arguments used against allowing those 18-year-old to vote was that they were not mature enough, but he pointed out the those of the age-group were considered as ‘adults’ under the Age of Majority Act 1971, assuming full legal capacity and are liable for their own actions.
“In Malaysia, at 17, a person can get a driving licence, while an 18-year-old is allowed to get married, work and pay taxes, enter into contractual obligations, or even serve the country in high-risk jobs such as joining the police force, fire brigade and the army.
“If we think that 18-year-olds are mature enough to pick up arms to defend the country, it is then illogical to say that they are not mature enough to decide who runs the government.”
From this perspective, Dr Yii said the government could no longer disenfranchise 3.8 million adults from the formal democratic process of the country, as young Malaysians were not naïve and immature.
“They are part of the most educated generation and grew up in an age of hyper-information. More and more young Malaysians are more informed with the current situation in the country especially with the influx of information through formal and informal media.”
He said the burst of social media usage and political discussions, including the recent ‘ClubHouse’ sensation, had proven the youth was not only interested in nation building but possessed substantive opinion about the country’s future.
“That is why I urge the current PN government not to delay the gazettement and implementation of Undi18 any longer. We need to push for a more progressive, more constructive, and more participatory politics as we welcome our youth into the arena.”
Dr Yii said there were many young people worldwide taking to the frontlines to took up the responsibility in leading their country and there was no doubt that the country youth possess the capability to so the same.
The federal constitution was amended in 2019 to lower the voting age from 21 to 18 via a bill dubbed as Undi18 and it is supposed to be effective in the middle of this year.
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