EIGHTEEN youths today filed a judicial review action against the government to force the implementation of the new voting age by July instead of next year. 

In their action, they named the prime minister, the federal government and the Election Commission (EC) as respondents. 

Their action was filed at the Kuala Lumpur High Court this morning.

The 18 applicants symbolically reflect the Undi18 movement.

“We filed a suit just 10 minutes before the press conference started at about 11.15am and we want an immediate action taken,” said lawyer New Sin Yew. 

New said the action represents approximately 1.2 million youths aged 18 to 20 in Malaysia. 

Among the 18 applicants were Nurul Rifayah, 18, a student activist involved with the movement since two years ago and Rifqi Faisal from Sarawak, 18, who pioneered the MYER Movement that advocates education reform. 

In their action, the applicants said the government’s action in delaying the lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 to be irrational, illegal, disproportionate and amounts to voter suppression. 

The other declaration sought is for a declaration that those aged 18 to 20 have a legitimate expectation they will have the right to vote by July.

They are also seeking a court order to quash the government’s decision to delay lowering the voting age from 21 to 18.

On March 25, EC chairman Abdul Ghani Salleh was reported to have said that the Undi18 Bill to introduce automatic voter registration and lower the voting age can only be executed after September 1, 2022.

The Undi18 Bill covers the amendments to Article 119 of the federal constitution set out in the Constitution (Amendment) Act 2019.

“If we succeed, the cabinet must immediately bring into force the constitutional amendment.

“This must be done as a matter of urgency, given that Parliament may be dissolved at any time and all adults must be allowed to choose their government,” New said.

Undi18 co-founder Nur Qyira Yusri also told the press today at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH) that Undi18 has met Youth and Sports Minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican and his deputy minister Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal.

According to Qyira, Reezal agreed a few weeks ago to not allow the delay in introducing the bill.

It should have been looked at separately, she said.

“He has agreed to bring it up with the cabinet and he has requested the prime minister to present the proposal to lower the voting age.

“This is also supported by Minister for Science, Technology & Innovation Khairy Jamaluddin (a former youth and sports minister) in the meeting,” Qyira said.

She added that the 18 youth applicants in the lawsuit are multiracial and multi-faith, gathered from all over Malaysia.– April 2, 2021.