In a Dewan Negara session on 10 September, Deputy Minister, Datuk Shabudin Yahaya, from the Prime Minister’s Department revealed that 4.2 million Malaysians who are aged 21 and above and are eligible to vote but have not registered as voters.
According to the Deputy Minister, this shocking statistic represents 22 per cent of the total number of Malaysians who are currently eligible to vote.
“We are facing a problem that requires all parties to play a common role because the indications show that there are still 4.2 million people in the country aged 21 and above who have not yet registered as voters,” said Shabudin in a statement recorded by BERNAMA.
The Deputy Minister said this in response to a question that was raised by Senator Ismail Yusop who questioned the measures taken by the government to empower new voters, especially since the ruling to lower the voting age to 18 will be implemented soon.
“This figure does not bode well for the development of the electoral roll. Currently, the number of voters who are 21 years old and above is about 15 million and when we implement the voting at 18 system, we will add another six to seven million voters,” added the deputy minister.
Shabudin added that the responsibility to make eligible voters aware should not be solely placed on the shoulders of the Election Commission alone. Instead, it is the responsibility of all parties including non-governmental organisations (NGO) and political parties.
The Election Commission is also in the midst of preparing for the lowering of voting age to 18 and the automatic voter registration that will be implemented with the amendments to Article 119 (4) of the Federal Constitution, passed by the Parliament.
With the possibility of a snap election looming as we approach the end of 2020, eligible voters should register now! If you haven’t registered yet and are confused as to how you want to go about it, don’t worry. Here’s a step-by-step guide that will help you register as a voter online.
Stay informed, guys!
Also read: In Case Of a Snap Election, Here’s How You Can Register To Vote Online
