THE opposition backed Putrajaya’s bill to lower the voting age from 21 to 18 because Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad agreed to the bloc’s requests, said Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

“It was important when the government agreed to our requests at the early stage,” the opposition leader told reporters at the Parliament lobby today.

He said Dr Mahathir discussed the amendments with Barisan Nasional, PAS and Gabungan Parti Sarawak, and agreed to retract the government’s earlier bill and replace it with a fresh one that incorporated the opposition’s requests.

Opposition parties had called for Malaysians to be automatically registered as voters upon turning 18, and for the minimum age of election candidates to be lowered to 18.

“As such, there were no issues. This is the first time in history where almost 100% of those who came to the Dewan Rakyat supported a bill,” said Ismail Sabri, who is also Bera MP.

“All the BN lawmakers who came, save for three, supported the amendments.”

In today’s vote, 211 MPs backed the bill to lower the minimum age of voters and election candidates, and allow for automatic voter registration.

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said the next order of business is to ensure voters cast their ballots.

“What’s important is that there is automatic voter registration. There must be more awareness on voting and politics,” said the Marang MP. – July 16, 2019.