27/03/2021
1. A flash event will be held on 27 March 2021 to protest against the non-implementation of Undi-18. Participating organisations for the event include Malaysia Youths and Students Evolution Johor Branch, MUDA, Mahasiswa Keadilan and DAPSY. The event will take place at a car park located beside of UTC Johor Bahru.
2. The delay of lowering the voting age to 18 is unreasonable as no valid reasons were given by the Election Commission.
3. The abrupt change of implementation timeline to September 2022 has obviously violated the democratic values practiced in Malaysia. As the Constitution (Amendment) Act 2019 (Undi 18 Act) was passed in both the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara on 16 July 2019, the act is ought to be implemented.
4. The right for young people to vote, was agreed unanimously by 211 elected members of Parliament. Therefore, the non-compliance showcased by the Election Commission is clearly an act of challenging the constitution, at the same time disrespecting the power of Dewan Rakyat, thus displaying disrespect towards Malaysians.
5. Failure to execute the act, is a form of political suppression carried out to maximise the advantages of the Perikatan Nasional government, as it is believed that the increase in the number of young voters will eventually benefit Barisan Nasional, causing Muhyiddin’s government to collapse.
6. Thus, young people’s voices were sacrificed due to selfish political agendas. In order to maintain one’s authority during the next General Election, voices of young voters were silenced.
7. Without doubt, the Election Commission is playing an active role in depriving the rights of the people, even though the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara had granted the power for youngsters to make their decision during the next election.
8. We urge the chairman of the Election Commission to respond to this unreasonable move immediately, giving Malaysians reasonable explanations behind this unacceptable deprivation of rights.
