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Sorry 18-year-olds, you'll be missing out if snap polls are called

Mar 03, 2020

The Election Commission says 18-year-olds will not be able to vote if snap elections are called this year, because the system is not ready yet.

EC chairman Azhar Azizan Harun told the Malaysian Insight that this has to go hand-in-hand with the automatic voter registration system, and this is only expected to be ready by mid next year.

Image: The Star

Constitutional lawyer Surendra Ananth told us that eventhough Undi 18 was passed last year, the date of enforcement is not gazetted yet.

Image: Malaymail

"The amendments have not come into force yet, so those between the age of 18 and 21 will not be allowed to vote if an election is called soon."

Bersih 2.0 chairperson Thomas Fann is also on the same page as Surendra...

Image: FreeMalaysiaToday

"Eventhough the eligibility to vote has been lowered to 18 years old in the Constitution, it’s not been implemented yet, and is not expected to start until another year. So, I think young people will feel disenfranchised and dissatisfied, that though they are allowed to vote, yet they can’t in a possible snap election, if held soon."

Last July, Parliament amended the Federal Constitution to lower the minimum voting age from 21 to 18 under the Pakatan Harapan administration, during its 22-month tenure.

This issue has surfaced now as there's a possibility that we will have to head back to the ballot box...

... if the new government under Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin cannot prove that he has the necessary backing of a majority of MPs in the Dewan Rakyat.

Image: Reuters

Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad has openly come out to declare that he is the one with more votes.

However, with the support of 112 out of a total 222 MPs, that’s an extremely slim majority.

Pakatan Harapan is expected to file a motion of no-confidence in the earliest parliamentary sitting (so far scheduled for March 9th) to determine who commands the majority.

If this issue does not get resolved in Parliament, then a snap election would be called.

Written by Roshini Ravindran