Harapan Youth to protest Undi18 delay on Saturday

Pakatan Harapan Youth is organising a protest against the Election Commission’s move to delay 18 to 20-year-olds from being able to vote.

The peaceful protest will be held at 2pm this Saturday (March 27) in front of the Parliament building in Kuala Lumpur.

Harapan Youth chief Shazni Munir (above) made the announcement in a statement today.

“We understand that the EC chief’s (Abdul Ghani Salleh) excuse to postpone the implementation of Undi18 is a mere ‘echo’ of the rejection stated by the Dewan Negara president (Rais Yatim) and the de facto law minister (Takiyuddin Hassan).

“This is nothing but an illogical justification aimed at denying the rights of millions of young people as young as 18 years old from being able to vote in GE15.

“This denial of rights needs to be protested by all groups of young people whether within or outside political circles.

“We call for a peaceful protest to be mobilised on March 27 in front of the Malaysian Parliament,” he said. 

Shazni stressed that standard operating procedures (SOPs) would be followed.

Putrajaya has come under fire after the EC said it will be postponing the implementation of Undi18 and automatic voter registration to after Sept 1, 2022.

The commission said the movement control order had “affected” its planning and preparations.

This means some 1.2 million youths are likely to be unable to vote in GE15, expected to be called at the end of the year.

Youth activists along with politicians from both the opposition and government bench have criticised the EC over the postponement.

The Dewan Rakyat had in 2019 unanimously voted to amend the Federal Constitution to lower the voting and election candidacy age to 18 plus implement automatic voter registration.

These changes were gazetted on Sept 10 that year. - Mkini