Gov't agrees to opposition's conditions, to table new bill on Undi18

The government has agreed to include automatic voter registration and reducing the minimum age to be a member of the Dewan Rakyat to 18 into the constitutional amendments to lower the voting age, according to a high-ranking government source.

This followed the opposition's request for the two conditions to be incorporated in order to support Putrajaya's bid to amend the constitution, which requires the backing of two-thirds of the Lower House.

As Pakatan Harapan does not command a supermajority in the Dewan Rakyat, it needs the support of the opposition MPs.

"This means the government will withdraw the existing bill, amend it and table it to the House again,” the source told Malaysiakini this afternoon.

"This shows the government is willing to work with the opposition to achieve bipartisanship in the matter," added the source.

The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the new version of the bill is expected to be tabled next week.

Previously, Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman had said that while the Pakatan Harapan government agreed in principle to the proposal to include automatic voter registration for 18-year-old Malaysians, it was unable to include it in the tabled bill.

Meanwhile, Election Commission chief Azhar Azizan Harun said automatic voter registration would require both Article 119(4) of the Federal Constitution and Elections (Registration of Electors) Regulations 2002 to be amended as well. - Mkini