Senator proposes GE15 be held after July next year to allow 18 year olds to vote

A senator suggested that the government hold the 15th General Election (GE15), after July next year to provide opportunities for young people, especially those aged 18, to be directly involved in electing the government.

Ismail Yusof said the move was in line with the implementation of the automatic voter registration system, which is expected to be implemented by July next year.

“The implementation of the automatic voter registration system will only be done in July 2021 and I propose this to the PM (Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) and the PN government (Perikatan National), for the General Election to be held after that.

“This is because holding the GE after that (period) will open more democratic space, as more voters and more people’s voices will be able to be expressed in the process of forming the government,” he told a press conference at the Parliament Building here today.

He said this when commenting on the answer given by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Shabudin Yahaya, during the Dewan Negara sitting which stated that 4.2 million people in the country who are over 21 years old, have yet to register as voters.

Earlier, in a statement at the Dewan Negara, Shabudin said that with the implementation of an automatic voter registration system, the country would increase the number of voters among 18-year-old individuals, an estimated six to seven million people.

Commenting further, Ismail said, through the move, the formation of the government in the next GE is seen as more effective with the participation of young people in the general election.

“In that GE, we will of course garner a better majority, for now the difference is not even significant.

“We want these young voters to be given the responsibility to choose the government, so give them a chance,” he said.

-- BERNAMA