Lowering The Voting Age To 18 Is A Mistake. Why Not Lower It To 16?

The recent amendments to the Federal Constitution to lower the voting age to 18 was not well thought at all. 

The part I agree with totally is the automatic registration of voters (past the age of 21? Then what about the new 18 year old voters?).   

We should have had automatic registration of voters 50 years ago. 

For this country, perhaps we should raise the voting age to 35.  

Why? This is a country where over 1.3 million people can vote for Pas. Or another two million plus can vote for malu-apa-boss-ku. Or they can vote for shaggers and sodomists who lie, sneak around and then when their ass is caught in the sunlight they falsely accuse others. They can still get the votes. Really unbelievable. And it is the adults who vote for them. This is the level of our voting society.

Now we want to give voting rights to 18 year olds. 

I have a suggestion. 

Why not lower the voting age to 17? 

Or even better just lower it to 16 lah. 

Lagi ramai boleh mengundi. 

For some background, here is Wikipedia :

In 1890, the South African Republic set a voting age there of 16 years  
 (OSTB : But only for the whites).

Debate on lowering the voting age to 16 -   around 2000, number of countries began to consider voting age reduced further, to 16. The earliest moves in 1990s, when the voting age for municipal elections in some States of Germany was lowered to 16 . .  

Before WW2 1939–1945, voting age in all countries was 21 years or higher

by 1968,  17 countries lowered their voting age to 18

Western Europe, reduced voting age to 18 during 1970s

United Kingdom (1969), USA (1971), Canada, West Germany (1972)

a few countries maintain voting age of 20 years or higher

Japan lowered voting age from 20 to 18 in June 2016

The caution is those societies are far more 'educated' and socially mature. They have universal education and high literacy levels. They also have a higher quality of literacy. For example in Germany the legal working age is 16, meaning 16 year olds can pay taxes. So since there should not be  'taxation without representation' the Germans allow their 16 year olds to vote - in local council elections.

But do you seriously think that the vast majority of 18 year olds in this country know what is going on in the country? Or even in their own neighborhoods?  If you do, you must be from another planet. 

The political parties all think that lowering the voting age will benefit them. I dont think so. There is no guarantee for whom the 18 year olds will vote.

Here is what will happen. The middle classes among you will call your 18 year old sons and daughters and tell them 'Son / daughter now you can vote. Vote wisely. Your vote is secret. You do not have to tell anyone who you vote for.'

There will be another huge group that will call their 18 year old sons and daughters and tell them  'Kalau kau tak undi tuan guru kau akan masuk neraka.' Or a more direct 'Kalau kau tak undi tuan guru aku tampar kepala kau nanti'.  This is more likely to happen. So in the traditionally "religious" areas, they will become even stronger. 

In the advanced societies the voting age is indeed 18. They did not have voting for 18 year olds all the time. There was a democratic evolution. As per the Wikipedia cut and paste above.

In ancient Greece (600 years before Christ) only male adults who had completed their military service could vote.  Women, freed slaves and slaves could not vote.  Those who defaulted on debt also could not vote.  There is debate that in the various transformations of Greek democracy only landowners or owners of assets could vote. Meaning they were taxpayers too.  

Democracy is actually a luxury. And you must be able to "afford" having luxuries. Lets look at India - the largest democracy in the world. India is not a failed state. But it is quite a hopeless state. Literally hopeless. Millions of Indians still leave to search for better hope outside India. The only good about their democracy is that people can vote. 

Other than that the extensive poverty,  poor economic prospects, racism, religious bigotry, caste divisions, corruption,  a chaotic society, mob violence and ill treatment of women are an accepted part of their life. These deficiencies may or may not be written on some ancient tablet but the Indian people have certainly internalised them. It is inside them. Democracy seems to make things worse for them.  Under the BJP it is getting worse.  

(And then there is China. China the great. Where there is no voting democracy but where peoples' voices are heard.)

So just like there is a Bill of Rights (Human Rights) there must also be a Bill of Obligations or a Bill of Responsibilities.  Mahatma Ghandi spoke about this and Chandra Muzaffar repeats this frequently. 

If we want to live well in a free and democratic society we must also be responsible citizens. Without responsible citizenship, democracy will become wasted. The democracy will not work. Look at India.

Universal education, quality literacy, social maturity preceded by social advancement (which must include the all important respect for other peoples'  freedoms) are basic building blocks for a successful democracy.

Quality literacy is extremely very important. 
Religious education - any religion at all - is not quality education - in any sense of the word.  
It just cannot be. No evidence maa. 
"Just do what the holy man tells you" is a good thing ??  
If you believe that, you must be paranoid, schizoid, jekyll and hyde, delusional wackos.

Well, back to the topic, I dont think even the 21 year olds in this country have  reached the required levels of maturity to vote for what is good for the future of the country and society. Lowering the voting age to 18 is not going to help the situation. Our democracy may get worse.

This is a general comment here - I think there are substantial numbers of people who are a little ahead of themselves.  They simply say this and that, demand this and that - without paying due regard to their obligations. If there is a Bill of Rights, it should be balanced with an understanding of your social responsibilities and your obligations to your country.

We have to be aware of the level of our social and economic advancement. Things like 90 days maternity leave, RM1500 minimum wage, 40 hour working week, numerous public holidays are luxuries which we really cannot afford yet. These are rich country standards. We are not there yet. Malaysia is still a poor country and I think we are getting poorer - especially certain large segments of our society.

Large segments of our society do not like to work hard. Or work at all. 

They think this life is temporary and there is no real need to work and succeed in this world. They think their life will really begin only after they are dead.  

That is why the lying Tin Sadin was the first to declare a FIVE day work week for his state - where the people steal milk tins from overturned trucks. They do not like to work. 

Here is what will happen. 

You do not like to work. 

But you demand rich country standards. 

You will squander time and money.

End result - you will remain poor.

And they have the right to vote. It is almost scary. 

But we have to vote. There is really no other way.

So please dont monkey around with democracy ok. 

Please get serious. Please grow up.