MIRI – A group of youth in the state will take legal action to ensure voters aged 18 and above are able to cast their ballots before the 12th Sarawak polls.
The group, representing the Undi Sarawak campaign, is seeking a judicial review at the Kuching High Court, and will be naming the prime minister, Malaysian government and Election Commission (EC) as respondents.
Members of the group in a statement today said they are seeking a court declaration that the government’s delay in implementing #Undi18 is illegal, irrational, disproportionate and amounts to voter suppression.
“We are seeking a court declaration that those aged between 18 and 20 have a legitimate expectation that they will have the right to vote by July.
“We are also seeking to quash the government’s decision to delay the implementation of lowering the voting age from 21 to 18.”
They said the move will affect approximately 125,000 to 135,000 Sarawakian youth, as the state assembly has already passed a bill to lower the minimum voting age from 21 to 18 last year.
“We also seek to compel the named parties to immediately bring into operation Section 3(a) of the Constitutional (Amendment) Act 2019, in any event, on or before July.”
The group cited a March 25 EC statement addressing the implementation of the Undi18 bill, saying it continues to urge the immediate execution of the lowering of the voting age.
It also expressed concern at a statement by EC chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh, who said the implementation of Undi18 and the automatic voter registration will be done only after September 1 next year due to various constraints and issues, including Covid-19-related ones.
The Undi18 bill covers amendments to Article 119 of the federal constitution as set out in the Constitution (Amendment) Act 2019.
Section 3(a) of the Constitution (Amendment) Act 2019 seeks to lower the voting age from 21 to 18, whereas Section 3(b) provides the removal of any legal obstacle in implementing the automatic voter registration.
The group also noted a statement of assurance by Law Minister Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan on April 29, as well as his subsequent remarks on May 2, expressing the government’s commitment to implement the bill.
“While we welcome the cabinet’s renewed commitment to implement the lowering of the voting age by July, it remains to be seen whether there is a fixed course of action and timeline to do so.
“Undi Sarawak holds firm to our belief that youth between the ages of 18 and 20 are owed the right to vote.” – The Vibes, May 4, 2021
