Over 480,000 new 18-year-old voters in Sabah: Hajiji

KOTA KINABALU – Sabah will have over 400,000 additional 18-year-old voters in the next election.

Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor revealed that a total of 485,939 people out of the 5.7 million newly registered 18-year-old voters are Sabahans.

“The implementation of 18-year-old voters and automatic voter registration had brought an increment from 15.3 million voters to 21 million voters as of December 31, 2021.

“A total of 485,939 new voters are Sabahans, making Sabah’s voters increase from 1,184,415 people to 1,670,354 people,” he said.

Hajiji said this in his speech during the briefing session on the implementation of 18-year- old eligible voters and automatic voter registration in the state assembly hall, read by the Sabah assembly speaker Datuk Kadzim M. Yahya today.

He said the growing number of voters also means growing responsibilities for the people’s representatives.

“Gabungan Rakyat Sabah’s (GRS) people’s representatives need to make an effort to approach young voters; conduct more activities that are beneficial to the youth.

“The youth may not be keen to be involved in politics unless called by their parents or their peers.

“Hence, we must think of approaches that are suitable with their thinking and their needs,” Hajiji, who is also GRS chief, said.

The Sabah assembly had on November 21, 2019, unanimously passed the Sabah Constitution Law (Enactment 2021) Bill that lowered the voting age limit from 21 years old to 18 years old.

The bill was enforced on December 19, 2019.

“Surely, it will affect the number of voters in each state seat. I believe that all the assemblymen are happy to receive more voters because it had been agreed unanimously in the state assembly and Parliament on July 16, and July 25, last year.

“All the MPs from different parties were united in making this happen,” he said.

He added that the state government will cooperate to ensure that the country’s democracy will continue to be enhanced with the involvement of all parties to ensure Sabah’s stability and prosperity. – The Vibes, March 25, 2022