Schools shouldn’t be battleground for political parties, says Najib

Ravin Palanisamy Ragananthini Vethasalam Ravin Palanisamy, Ragananthini Vethasalam Updated 6 years ago · Published on 4 Jul 2019 2:30PM · 4 Comments

Former prime minister Najib Razak said Umno's main reservation against the lowering of voting age is that it might lead to more volatility in Malaysian politics. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, July 4, 2019.

UMNO has reservations about lowering the voting age to 18 although the party supports the move in principle, said former prime minister Najib Razak.

“Our main reservation is if this will lead to too much volatility in Malaysian politics,” he told reporters in Parliament today.

He added that the other fear was that schools would be turned into a battleground for political parties.

“Generally, because of the universal trend towards 18, our party’s decision is that we will support – provided that it goes with the automatic voter registration. But we have our reservations.”

He added that youths are easily swayed and influenced.

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, meanwhile, said the opposition would support the move if both the lowering of age limit and automatic voting registration are amended concurrently.

“The opposition’s stand is: we support if both are implemented.

“Both should be made together, meaning that we amend the voting age limit and automatic voting registration,” the Rembau MP told reporters at the Dewan Rakyat lobby.

Khairy also said that by lowering the voting age, it doesn’t necessarily give any political parties any added advantage as the younger generation nowadays are wiser when it come to making decisions.

“I don’t think there’s (advantage). I believe the young Malaysians will wait and see who gives them a better direction,” he said.

Yesterday, opposition MPs agreed in principle to lower the voting age to 18, but the conditions attached to their votes for the bill makes its passage uncertain.

They also want Article 47 of the federal constitution to be amended to lower the age of eligible candidates for the Dewan Rakyat from 21 to 18. – July 4, 2019.

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Comments

  • One thing for sure, we will not see anymore UMNO flags flying in the school like in the past.

    Posted 6 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Khairy why the sudden motivation for automatic registration? Political advantage?

    Posted 6 years ago by CD E · Reply

  • Cakap tak serupa bikin you idiot, wasnt it under your watch parents have to endured an hour speech by your stupid ketua bahagian, ADUN and what not at school events.

    Posted 6 years ago by Teruna Kelana · Reply