Undi18: A 19-year-old’s perspective

I WAS among the youths who recently took part in a peaceful gathering outside the Parliament building to push for the implementation of lowering the voting age.

I also joined 17 other youths from diverse backgrounds in signing an affidavit imploring the Kuala Lumpur High Court to look into the Election Commision’s (EC) decision to delay the implementation.

When I signed the affidavit, I did it believing that the youths deserve the constitutional right to vote. It is a disappointment that despite the existing legislation permitting us to vote, we might not be able to do it in the 15th General Election.

The Undi18 bill entails the lowering of the eligible voting age from 21 to 18, as well as the lowering of the age of a citizen qualified to be a member of the House of Representatives to 18, in addition to automatic voter registration.