MP to Putrajaya: Don't push Undi18 around like a ping-pong ball

 

Putrajaya should take responsibility in ensuring that the voting age is reduced from 21 to 18 in a timely manner and not push the policy around like a ping-pong ball, said PKR's Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim.

In pointing out that the policy was unanimously approved in the Dewan Rakyat in 2019 under the then Pakatan Harapan administration, Hassan said the implementation of Undi18 is in the hands of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government and not others. 

"Should PN push the ball to the Election Commission (EC)? PN should not push it to others.

"It is Parliament's decision, which it inherited and must be executed," he said in a statement today. 

Hassan added that under the emergency, the government had unlimited powers and therefore Putrajaya should find ways to make Undi18 work instead of giving excuses.

The EC had postponed the lowering of the voting age to September next year, which means 18 to 20-year-olds are unlikely to vote in the 15th general election should it be called in August when the emergency expires.

The EC cited challenges in implementing automatic voter registration, which would include all 18 to 20-year-olds in the electoral roll.

Proposed alternative

Umno ministers have proposed an alternative by registering 18 to 20-year-olds as voters under the existing manual system and leave automatic voter registration for later.

However, neither the government nor the EC has responded.

Hassan said it was Putrajaya's responsibility to address policies and issues that it inherited from previous governments.

He gave the example of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail which was initiated under the previous BN government.

He said when Harapan came to power, it sought to renegotiate the project.

Likewise, the PN government took over the matter after the Harapan government collapsed and finally decided to cancel it, costing Malaysia RM320 million in compensation to Singapore. - Mkini