THE Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) has proposed to the cabinet today to that the Election Commission proceed with lowering the voting age to 18 even if  automatic voter registration was delayed by technical problems.

Minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican said the ministry hoped that the polls regulator could implement the proposal as all cabinet members today have expressed their support for Undi18.

“The amendment (to the Federal Constitution) comprises various matters, so I think we have to start with the low hanging fruit,” he said, adding that he would submit a letter to the EC and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Takiyuddin Hassan on the proposal.

Speaking to reporters after the handing-over of assignments to the Malaysia Vaccine Support Volunteers (MyVAC) volunteer teams in Putrajaya today, Reezal Merican said Takiyuddin would also table the details of the issue next week.

EC chairman Abdul Ghani Salleh was reported to have said that the automatic voter registration and lowering of voting age to 18 could only be implemented after September 1, 2022, and the statement was questioned by many quarters who described the postponement as unreasonable.

On July 16, 2019, Dewan Rakyat had approved the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2019 that seeks to lower the voting age from 21 to 18, automatic voter registration and lowering the eligible age to contest in election to 18.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin who was also present at the event said he supported KBS’ argument in today’s Cabinet meeting on the separation of the process as they were informed that the automatic voter registration system has yet to be completed.

“If we cannot implement automatic registration due to system issue, why must we delay Undi18. Undi18 can proceed. That was our counter-argument and we will decide in the cabinet (meeting) next week,” he said.

Meanwhile, the ministry received almost 8,000 applications to become MyVAC volunteers since it was launched on Feb 26, with Selangor recording the highest number of registrations with 1,244 people, followed by Sabah (1,009), Penang (734), Perak (617) and Kedah (612).

Reezal Merican said the number also exceeded the government’s initial target of 6,000 volunteers who would be placed in over 600 vaccination centres nationwide.

He added that the programme was driven by a whole-society approach in ensuring the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme runs smoothly. – Bernama, March 31, 2021.