KUALA LUMPUR – DAP Youth has slammed the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration over the Election Commission’s (EC) decision to delay automatic voter registration and the lowering of the voting age to 18, dubbed Undi18, labelling the ruling coalition as a “liar”, “traitor” and “coward”.
Its chief, Howard Lee, is calling the government out for its disobedience to the assent of the Yang Di Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah on the act covering the voting changes, which was passed in 2019 and had earlier been set to come into force this July.
“Don’t gamble the rights of youth for your political and party benefit. Don’t mock the constitutional amendment on Undi18 that received the unanimous support of the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara.
“Don’t be disobedient towards the assent granted by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the amendment,” said Lee.
He warned the government that, if this goes on, it would not be surprising if youth begin taking to the streets to demand for their rights as voters.
The Pasir Pinji assemblyman is not the only one voicing frustration over EC chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh’s announcement that the Undi18 implementation can only be done after September 2022 due to constraints and issues affecting its plans and preparation.
In a statement yesterday, the electoral body’s head had chiefly blamed the movement control order (MCO) for this, while also claiming that the electoral body will prepare an interim report on the updated plan by September this year.
Even some ministers have publicly voiced their dissatisfaction over the issue.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the decision was extremely regrettable and unacceptable, especially seeing that the amendments had obtained full support from the upper and lower houses of Parliament in July 2019.
Khairy, who previously held the posts of youth and sports minister, and Umno youth chief, said the EC statement contradicts its earlier affirmation that the implementation will take place by July this year.
In a separate statement, current Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican said the decision was causing frustration and resentment, particularly among the youth.
The Umno MP for Kepala Batas said that, as one of the lawmakers who had voted in support of the amendments, the delay is “very much regrettable”.
“I have said on many occasions that my stand and that of others in Parliament have not changed. We want to see a more inclusive democratic process given to the rakyat (by lowering the voting age).
“Voting is the right of all citizens, and the guarantee given previously that Undi18 will be implemented is a huge commitment that must be shouldered by the EC.” – The Vibes, March 26, 2021
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