THE decision by the Election Commissions (EC) to delay Undi 18 until next year is disappointing and unacceptable, said Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Khairy Jamaluddin.

In a statement, Khairy said the excuse that movement control orders (MCO) and Covid-19 were holding up the process was not good enough, considering the country has been battling Covid-19 for more than a year.

“Last year, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Takiyuddin Hassan said that the implementation of Undi18 and automatic voter registrations were on track for July 2021,” he said.

“Not even five months later, the EC announces that it has postponed Undi 18 until September 2022, which is more than a year later,” he added.

He said the EC’s statement that the delay is for the purpose of engaging with political parties and civil society groups also raises questions.

“The EC should provide further clarification on this involvement programme as this process is no longer a matter of consequence because Undi 18 has already been agreed at the highest level of the law-making process in this country: the Parliament of Malaysia.”

“The engagement process should also be able to take place at any time without the slightest need to affect the time period that has been announced previously.”

He said the reduction of the voting age from 21 to 18 and automatic registration is not the intention of the previous government alone but it has obtained the consent of all political parties, including through MPs who have amended the federal constitution as such.

Separately, Khairy also said on Twitter that he will raise the issue in the next cabinet meeting, together with Youth and Sports Minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican. – March 26, 2021.