Malaysian government agrees to lower voting age to 18, automatic voter registration

PUTRAJAYA — The Malaysian government has agreed to include automatic registration in the constitutional amendment to lower the voting age from 21 to 18.

Malaysia's Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is also Pakatan Harapan chairman, said those who had reached the age of 18 had the right to make their voices heard through the ballot box.

“We agreed that the younger generation, who reached the age of 18, would be automatically registered (as voters),” Dr Mahathir, who is also Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) chairman, told reporters after chairing the PH Presidential Council meeting on Monday (July 8).

Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman had last Thursday tabled the amendment to Article 119 of the Federal Constitution Bill to lower the voting age for its first reading in the Dewan Rakyat.

The bill, which is known as Constitution (Amendment) Act 2019, is expected to be debated at the committee stage on July 16.

The opposition told the government that they would support the bill only if youths were automatically registered as voters on turning 18.

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had said that the sheer number of eligible voters who had not registered with the Election Commission necessitated an automatic registration system.

Mr Ismail claimed there were about 14 million eligible voters in the country who had yet to register as voters.

On another matter, Dr Mahathir said he would appear in Dewan Rakyat every Wednesday for Prime Minister’s Question Time (PMQT).

This is one of the pledges made by PH in its election manifesto for the 14th General Election.

“I will appear in Parliament every Wednesday to answer questions,” said Dr Mahathir.

“It is not my fault (that previous) I did not appear in Parliament since there was no question for me.

“Now, even if there are no questions for me, I will still appear in Parliament,” he said.

Dr Mahathir did not say whether he would be appearing for PMQT for the current session of Dewan Rakyat sitting, which will end on July 18.

Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Nga Kor Ming was previously reported as saying that PMQT may begin as early as October. NEW STRAITS TIMES