Newsflash: Will ‘UNDI 18’ change Malaysian democracy?

THE recently passed “Undi 18” Bill to lower the voting age from 21 to 18 could result in vastly different voting patterns in the future, but true change would require more civic education.

The bill that will see amendments as stated in the Federal Constitution also includes automatic registration and the lowering of the age of candidacy, allowing 18-year-olds to contest in elections.

This move was lauded by former Bersih chairman Shahrul Aman, who said that it signalled a significant opportunity for young people in Malaysia.

“The freedom of speech and freedom of youths to participate in politics has been rather curtailed in the past, but the spirit now is different and they should use all opportunities to get mileage and their voices heard by all politicians,” he said.

Research firm Merdeka Center’s programme director Ibrahim Suffian predicted that these new amendments would likely tremendously alter the outcome of future elections, but just how, is still unknown.

“Young people tend to be less loyal to particular political parties when compared to older voters, as they are more personally interested in what politicians say and less swayed by sensationalist arguments,” he said.

Undi 18 co-founder Tharma Pillai believes that the only way to effect lasting change is for educational reforms to go hand-in-hand with the amendments.

“The current state of civic education in Malaysia isn’t great,” he said.

“There is already a syllabus for civic education, but it isn’t represented in exam papers or prioritised in class – and that’s a problem.”

Source: TheStar