A Pakatan Harapan backbencher has urged the government to effectively address core issues affecting the youth and engage them on social media, or risk losing support to the opposition.

This is especially after the recent constitutional amendment that lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, a move branded the 'Undi 18' bill when tabled in Parliament.

For now, Klang MP Charles Santiago believes, PAS, Umno and in particular former premier Najib Abdul Razak are more influential online, where many youths spend their time.

"I think right now the monopoly on social media is with Umno and PAS. And (Najib’s) 'Bossku' campaign.

"Najib is reaching out and questioning government policies. He is reaching out in a way that we (Harapan) are not reaching out... We need to buck up if want to reach out to the young.

"Whether the Undi 18 vote will work for Harapan or Umno and PAS depends on how much Harapan brings young people onboard, who mainly engage in discourse on social media now," he said at a press conference on the sidelines of an Asia-Europe People's Forum (AEPF) conference in Petaling Jaya.

The Election Commission predicts that the lowered voting age, along with automatic voter registration, will add another 7.8 million voters to the electoral roll, representing a more than 50 percent increase.

Jobs, wages, loans

Aside from improving its social media savvy, Santiago said Putrajaya should focus on raising wages, improving job opportunities and devising a solution for the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) study loans stalemate.

Most of all, youth need to be brought aboard the decision-making process.

If it fails to resolve these sore points before the 15th general election – expected to take place sometime in 2023 – Santiago believes the Undi 18 vote could backfire on Harapan.

"If we do not engage the youth in a meaningful way, we will pay the price for this.

"Young people do not have a sense of political loyalty or affiliation. If you are no good, they will vote you out," he cautioned.

Santiago was flanked today by Catalan MP Eulàlia Reguant, Sri Lankan MP T Mylvaganam, Nepalese MP Deepak Bhatt, and Pakistani MP Hassan Murtaza.

Over the next three days, the AEPF conference on 'Reimagining democracy and people’s agency in a time of populist authoritarianism and neoliberalism' will bring together lawmakers and civil society activists from Europe and Asia.

Among the topics of discussion will be on how to make democracy more relevant and beneficial to all sectors of society, especially the youth and marginalised.