Bersatu Youth has expressed disappointment over the Election Commission's (EC) decision to delay the registration of 18-year-olds as voters to next year.

However, wing chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal said it understood that the commission was being careful to ensure that it will be done right.

"Bersatu Youth is upset with the decision by the EC, an independent electoral body, to postpone the implementation of Undi18 from July 2021 to Sept 2022.

"Bersatu Youth remains firm that the lowering of the voting age from 21 to 18 needs to be done as planned.

"However, Bersatu Youth understands that the EC needs to see the best way to ensure the entry of new voters aged 18-20 is done properly so there is no confusion on election day," he said in a statement this morning.

The deputy youth and sports minister added that Bersatu Youth was prepared to cooperate with all government agencies to speed up the process.

Yesterday, the EC said the movement control order had affected its planning and preparations to lower the voting age and implement automatic voter registration.

Critics, however, argued there was no reason why the existing voter registration system can't be extended to 18-year-olds now, even if automatic registration is delayed.

Wan Ahmad Fayhsal said a comprehensive plan to implement Undi18 needs to be tabled to the public immediately, for checks and balances to be carried out.

The EC said a preliminary report on Undi18 will be ready by September this year.