KUALA LUMPUR – Instead of blaming the youth vote, Umno should reassess the rejection by voters in the 15th general election (GE15) and how to regain support, said Undi18.
The civil society group added that new voters aged between 18 and 20 only made up 3.2% (676,070) of 21.1 million registered voters.
Undi18 said in a statement today that each political party should celebrate the participation of more segments of society in the country’s democracy, and not belittle any one group.
In line with the matter, efforts on voter education and democracy should be continued, not just for first-time voters, but for all.
“Young people today are more open and flexible in making judgments, so space and opportunities in democracy should be given to them.
“A person’s maturity does not depend on age alone because it has been proven that there are many local young people who have made a name for themselves on the world stage in various fields.
This comes after Jerai Umno division delegate Datuk Norma Awang said that 18-year-olds are too “fresh-faced” to understand political matters.
“In the context of Malaysia, 18-year-olds have barely just finished SPM. Even their underwear is still bought by their parents
“They lack comprehension of elections, voting, the democratic system, and how their ballots affected the formation of the government and its policies,” she said when debating the Wanita Umno chief Datuk Noraini Ahmad’s policy speech at the party’s general assembly here yesterday.
Directing her suggestion to Umno leaders who are part of the unity government, she also said that local 18-year-olds cannot be compared to their peers overseas due to different education levels.
“In many Western countries, 18-year-olds are already pursuing their masters or PhDs, but our youth are busy getting addicted to ketum leaves, messing around on TikTok, and experiencing puppy love.
“To restore our nation’s future and ensure its long-term development, the voting age should be raised to 23, at which age voters will at least have finished their undergraduate studies.” – The Vibes, January 13, 2023
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