PM: Many young voters still unaware of automatic voter registration

 

Many young voters aged 18 and above are unaware that they have been registered automatically as voters. - NSTP/HAIRUL ANUAR RAHIM

LABUAN: Many young voters aged 18 and above are unaware that they have been registered automatically as voters, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

"Many young voters don't know that their names have been listed on the electoral roll. Now, when they turn 18, they automatically become voters. Some don't know this.

"There have been occasions where I met young voters, especially students, and they didn't know they are already on the electoral roll," he said in his address at the Majlis Amanat Jelajah Keluarga Malaysia at the Kompleks Ujana Kewangan convention hall today.

Ismail Sabri, who is Umno vice-president, said Barisan Nasional parties' election machinery must approach youths and explain the matter to them.

"The BN machinery needs to reach out to young voters in their areas and ensure they come out to vote on polling day next month.

"Otherwise, they might not know and might not come out to vote. That's why we need to inform them," he said, adding that this was the BN machinery's duty, not the Election Commission's (EC).

On claims about a drastic rise in voters in Sabah, Ismail Sabri asked the EC to conduct an investigation into the validity of the additional voters, adding that the increase did not seem to involve young voters.

"If they are young voters, it would make sense. In this case, the EC should investigate. If there are concerns, we will leave it to the commission to take action."

On Oct 20, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the state government would get further information from the Sabah EC about the total number of registered voters in the state, which was said to have increased drastically.

He said concerns from several parties had been conveyed to the commission and the state government had requested further information on the matter.

Sabah Progressive Party president Datuk Yong Teck Lee was reported as saying that he found the rise in total voters in Sabah for the 15th General Election shocking. He claimed there was a 53.9 per cent increase in new voters, from 1.1 million voters in 2018 to about 1.7 million this year. -- BERNAMA