Sabah STAR sets up youth wing for those aged between 16 and 23

KOTA KINABALU: Opposition Sabah STAR has set up a youth wing to cater to those aged between 16 and 23 following the government’s decision to lower the voting age to 18.

The party’s strategic director Edward Linggu said this new wing, called Wiramaja, is to complement the existing WiraMuda and Wiranita youth wings.

“The Wiramaja wing decided upon in our recent supreme council meeting is to operate separately from the Wiramuda and Wiranita wings and it will be a new and dynamic platform for the younger generation of both genders of Sabahans aged 16 to 23.

“In line with the government’s decision to lower the voting age to 18, and the age definition of youth being brought down from 40 to 30, we have decided to open this platform to attract and recruit young Sabahans including school leavers, ”‌ he said at after the party's supreme council meeting on Monday (July 29).

Linggu said they can be identified as potential new voters and future leaders as the move is part of the party’s rejuvenation and strengthening exercise.

The former Tamparuli assemblyman said that the party’s main aim through this movement is to inculcate awareness and understanding of members’ role in politics.

He said it is to let them further understand issues like democracy and government, Sabah rights and autonomy in line with the spirit and intention of the formation of Malaysia, Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), the Federal Constitution and other related matters.

“In light of the new constitutional amendment allowing automatic registration of voters, we are also undertaking the task to register new voters on our own, ”‌ Linggu said.

He said they would be screening suspicious and unqualified names in the electoral rolls during this period.

Meanwhile, in the same meeting, it was also agreed that a Veteran Leaders Council (VLC) be set up as a platform especially for energetic and experienced veteran leaders aged 60 and above to serve the people of Sabah.