Muda: Does Rais speak for govt when calling Undi18 'impractical'?
The government must state its stand on Undi18 after Senate president Rais Yatim's reported remarks against the move to lower the voting age, the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) said today.
According to Muda co-founder Lim Wei Jiet, Rais' (above) remarks at a forum last night, citing purported impracticalities, contradicted the government's July deadline to gazette the new eligible voting age.
"This statement is very surprising. When the constitution was amended in...
The government must state its stand on Undi18 after Senate president Rais Yatim's reported remarks against the move to lower the voting age, the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) said today.
According to Muda co-founder Lim Wei Jiet, Rais' (above) remarks at a forum last night, citing purported impracticalities, contradicted the government's July deadline to gazette the new eligible voting age.
"This statement is very surprising. When the constitution was amended in 2019 for Undi18, the government has clearly stated that it will be gazetted at the latest by July 2021.
"In November 2020, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Takiyuddin Hassan also promised that Undi18 will be implemented at the latest by July this year," he said in a statement.
Lim added that contrary to Rais' remarks, the Election Commission through its deputy chairperson Azmi Sharom had on March 10 said the body is ready to accommodate Undi18.
"So why the sudden U-turn from Rais Yatim? On whose instructions or push did he make such a remark?" asked Lim, who pointed out Rais' influence on the government includes being a Bersatu supreme council member.
He further demanded the government to clearly state whether youths aged between 18 and 20 years old will be allowed to vote in GE15, widely speculated to be held by the end of this year.
"Do not just give a vague statement of commitment to the Undi18 movement," he said, adding that silence from the government will be taken as an attempt to deny the rights of voters.
Meanwhile, youth leaders from Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) also condemned Rais' remarks, saying it not only disrespected the rule of law but also underestimated the power of youths to vote.
"The political excuse given was completely unacceptable.
"In fact, they can find solutions to any possible difficulties in order to extend youths participation, determining the country's future through the ballot box," said the pro-tem leaders, Ulya Aqamah Husamudin, Abu Hafiz Saleh Hudin, and Nurul Ashikin Mabahwi, in a statement.
"We strongly reject the Senate president's statement that is an insult to democracy and we hope Undi18 will proceed as planned," they said.
The amendment bill was moved and passed in Parliament by then youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman in July, 2019.
At the time it was estimated that lowering the voting age to 18 will see some 3.8 million youths aged up to 20 years old being eligible to vote in GE15 if called in the year 2023.
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