MALAYSIANS should be compelled to vote or lose certain privileges, PAS lawmaker Ahmad Fadhli Shaari said in the Dewan Rakyat today.

“Maybe there are procedures that can be used so Malaysians are forced to vote to get certain privileges,” the Pasir Mas MP said during the debate on the Supply Bill 2022 for the Youth and Sports Ministry. 

“The government should make it mandatory for voters to vote, the way it has made Covid-19 vaccination mandatory (using privileges),” said Fadhli.

Malaysia’s Covid-19 vaccination is not compulsory but is mandated by way of preventing unvaccinated persons from travelling inter-state or overseas, from dining in at restaurants, staying at hotels or going to public facilities such as malls and houses of worship.

Earlier, Fadhli had urged the ministry to include voting awareness in the Kem Wawasan Negara syllabus.

“Although Undi18 amendments have not been implemented yet, I fear that many will not vote and this right will be wasted and the campaign would have failed. 

“Hence, the government should step up awareness campaigns for 18-year-olds to vote until such a time when we can make voting mandatory, like Covid-19 vaccination,” said the PAS youth chief.

The recently concluded Malacca elections saw the lowest voter turnout ever at 65.85%, amid Covid-19 fears and standard operating procedure restrictions. – November 29, 2021.