In a statement, the group, noting there was no mention of earlier delays, likened the offer to a political tool by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to stay in power.
KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 13): Youth non-governmental organisation Undi18 has reacted tonight to the prime minister’s promise to implement voting for youths aged 18 to 20.
In a statement, the group, noting there was no mention of earlier delays, likened the offer to a political tool by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to stay in power.
“The proposed Bill is a tactic by the prime minister to stay in power, as bipartisan cooperation for this Bill would eventually translate into a confidence vote for the prime minister.
“The Undi18 Bill was unanimously passed as a Constitutional Amendment in Parliament in July 2019 and remains to be implemented more than years later,” the group said in a statement following the prime minister’s special address earlier today.
Undi18 asserted that the Bill, including Section 3(a) and 3 (b), can be implemented simultaneously without further delay by immediately bringing Section 3 into operation.
It added that the enforcement of automatic voter registration (AVR) under Section 3 (b) of the Undi18 Bill merely removes the barriers to the implementation of the AVR and does not directly lead to the implementation of AVR.
“Therefore, the prime minister is wrong in assuming that the lowering of voting age can only be enforced through a constitutional amendment Bill that separates the implementation of the lowering of voting age from AVR.
“Implementing Section 3 (a) and 3 (b) is immediately possible and will allow all 18- to 20- year-old Malaysians to be able to register to vote in accordance to existing laws, while providing additional time for the Election Commission to settle the technicalities of the AVR,” the group said. – MalayMail