So, Undi18 and Automatic Voters Registration (AVR) are finally implemented. Two and a half years after the historic constitutional amendments to lower the voting age in Malaysia from 21 to 18, after some delays, backpedalling on the timeline to implement and a court order to implement it by the end of 2021, it is a done deal.
In simple terms, if there is an election after 16 January 2022, any 18-year-old citizen and above can walk into their designated polling station, present their MyKad and vote without having to pre-register beforehand.
Here are the data as released by the Election Commission (EC) on 12 January 2022.
5.8 million new voters will be added to the current electoral roll of 15.3 million, bringing the total to 21.1 million voters. Out of these, 1.2 million are those aged between 18 to 21 while the rest are unregistered 21 years old and above.
Taking those numbers from the EC and population data from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), I extrapolated the data to find out how many voters will be aged between 18 and 40 years old if an election is to be held this year and the estimate is 12.2 million or a whopping 58% of the total electorate! It was 41% in GE14, which means the “youth” or below 40 years old voters will for the first time, form the bulk of voters in Malaysia in GE15.
I don’t know about you but to me, this is a seismic event, that the young voters will be the “kingmaker” in the coming and future elections in this country. It is now obvious that whichever party or coalition of parties that aspire to form the next government must appeal to the 58% of voters below the age of 40. Ignoring them would be political suicide and I don’t believe anyone who is in politics, are in it to lose elections.
Before I go further, I must acknowledge this bloc of voters, like any others. are not homogenous in their values, aspirations or character but I do believe there are some commonly shared concerns among them like education, job opportunities, affordability of housing or even a desire for a greater level of personal freedom than older voters, maybe.
So, what must the competing political parties do to appeal to those below 40 of age?
(1) They must field younger candidates during elections. People usually relate better to their peers and it is highly unlikely young voters would give their votes to candidates or parties whom they believe cannot understand their concerns. Parties that are perceived to be helmed by “oldish” leaders would be off-putting to the young. It is about time we start lowering the median age of political leaders to a more inspiring level, rather than expiring ones! Wouldn’t voters be more inclined to vote for leaders who are more personally vested in a bright future for the country than those who are still trying to make it in their twilight years?
(2) They must offer concrete policy ideas (not cheap slogans) that assures the younger generation that they have a plan to uplift them. When it comes to a trust deficit in politicians, we are probably at an all-time high and the young are probably most cynical of the political establishment. They can probably smell a rat, or should I say a frog, a mile away and they are the savvy generation who can fact-check on their phones instantly. Parties need to include in their election manifestoes well-thought-out economic policies, education plans and most importantly, what are they doing about climate change if they want to connect with the young.
(3) They must commit to political and institutional reforms that would enhance the stability, oversight and performance of the whole system. Like everyone else, the young are sick and tired of the shenanigans of politicians these past years. Get serious with reforms and not just pay lip service to important legislations to fix our broken system. Otherwise, these young voters may just decide to take their chance with new start-up parties like MUDA, Gerak independent and many others. After all, what have they got to lose?
(4) They must move away from identity politics of race and religion and start envisioning a more inclusive Malaysia. I don’t know for sure but I believe most younger Malaysians are more concerned with good governance and outcomes. They don’t care if the cat is black or white as long as it catches the rats (frogs). They hate corruption, double-talks, talk downs, bull excrement, double standards, feudal attitudes and showmanship. Talk less, do more. Deliver or you’re out the next round.
And remember, the young do not carry any pieces of baggage of loyalty or historical indebtedness to any political parties, and thanks to the Bersih rallies, the ghost of May 13 has been permanently exorcised, so it is pointless to wave your keris and threaten a bloodbath. In fact, many would ask, what is May 13?
The huge injection of 5.8 million voters through Undi18 and AVR, propelling the under 40-year-old voters to 58% of total voters, may be the booster shot that this country needs to vaccinate us from decades of personality, patronage and identity politics that have divided us and rob us of our nation’s full potential. The future of this nation belongs to the young and it is in their pointers. It’s time to speak up, to rise and to vote.
- Thomas Fann
Media Statement
Thu Jan 20 2022
The future of this nation belongs to the young and it is in their pointers. - BERNAMApic/Pic for illustration purposes
KWSP: Mengimbangi mandat persaraan dan sokongan kelangsungan ekonomi ahli - Pakar
Mohd Afzanizam menegaskan bahawa KWSP bukan satu-satunya organisasi yang bertanggungjawab dari segi menambah baik kehidupan masyarakat.
CAP minta kerajaan pertimbang tubuh Suruhanjaya Amal Malaysia
Mohideen berkata suruhanjaya itu pernah dicadangkan oleh bekas Timbalan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail pada 2020.
Pos Malaysia yakin catat keputusan kewangan lebih baik di masa hadapan
Ia antara lain menyasarkan pengoptimuman sumber dan mengurangkan risiko berkaitan trend penurunan jumlah mel untuk menyokong pertumbuhan.
SPR India tuntut maklum balas aduan terhadap Modi, Rahul Gandhi
Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya India hari ini memaklumkan pihaknya sudah meminta maklum balas daripada parti pemerintah Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dan parti pembangkang, Kongres.
Penguin maharaja berdepan kepupusan akibat pencairan ais
Spesies penguin terbesar di dunia, penguin maharaja terus berdepan ancaman apabila habitatnya terjejas akibat perubahan iklim. Selain pernah disifatkan bakal pupus menjelang tahun 2050, saintis dari Pusat Penyelidikan British Antarctic Survey pada Khamis memberitahu perubahan iklim memberi kesan terhadap kecairan ais di wilayah beku Antartika yang menjadi habitat buat koloni penguin maharaja.
ANCC2024: Astro, NACSA bekerjasama anjur 'coding challenge'
Diilhamkan daripada komitmen Astro dan NACSA untuk memupuk langkah keselamatan siber yang proaktif, pertandingan itu juga bertujuan untuk menormalisasikan navigasi digital yang selamat dalam ruang siber.
Suhu cecah 42 Celsius, Bangladesh tutup semua sekolah sehingga Sabtu ini
Suhu panas melampau sehingga mencecah 42 Celcius memaksa kerajaan Bangladesh menutup operasi persekolahan yang melibatkan 33 juta pelajar di negara itu.
PM Haiti serah surat peletakan jawatan
Perdana Menteri Haiti, Ariel Henry akhirnya menyerahkan surat peletakan jawatan pada Khamis selepas tidak henti berdepan tekanan antarabangsa bagi mengawal kekacauan kumpulan pengganas di negara itu. Surat rasmi peletakan jawatan yang ditandatangani Ariel Henry diserahkan di Los Angeles dan dikongsi pejabat Perdana Menteri Haiti bersamaan tarikh majlis presiden peralihan ditubuhkan.
RTS JB-Singapura di landasan tepat
Perkambangan pembinaan Projek RTS Johor Bahru-Singapura dilihat berada pada landasan tepat.
Rakyat Israel sudah mula misi bina penempatan kekal di Gaza
Sekumpulan warga Israel yang bermalam di sempadan berarak memasuki Gaza pada pagi Khamis dengan matlamat untuk membuka penempatan kekal di wilayah itu. Dalam poster kumpulan itu yang tular di media sosial, tertera slogan 'tentera telah mendudukinya, maka kami akan menetap disitu'.
PRN: 'Saya dah cukup umur undi'
Mohd Aiman yang bertubuh kecil mencuri tumpuan ketika berbaris menunggu giliran mengundi di Pusat Mengundi Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Permatang Janggus.
Hentikan sokongan melalui SD, tambah baik keadilan jenayah babit VIP - Undi18
Hentikan sistem sokongan berdasarkan kepada Akuan Bersumpah (SD) dan menambahbaik keadilan jenayah yang melibatkan individu berprofil tinggi.
Undi18: KBS semak, susun semula program pendidikan literasi politik - Adam Adli
KBS dengan kerjasama Kementerian Pendidikan sedang menyemak dan menyusun semula Program Pendidikan Literasi Politik bagi menarik minat belia.
Daftar pemilih tambahan September dibuka untuk semakan - SPR
Daftar Pemilih Tambahan Bulan September Tahun 2022 (DPT BLN9/2022) yang telah diperaku dan diwartakan, kini dibuka untuk semakan selama 30 hari bermula hari ini hingga 31 Dis.
Undi18: Pengundi kali pertama perlu bimbingan - ABIM
Kumpulan belia Undi18 adalah anak muda yang baharu hendak mengenal dunia politik dan sewajarnya mereka diberi bimbingan serta maklumat tepat.
PRU15: Libatkan NGO dan masyarakat dalam proses pemilihan calon - Fauzi Fadzil
Penglibatan langsung Pertubuhan Bukan Kerajaan (NGO) dan masyarakat perlu menjadi keutamaan dalam proses pemilihan calon parti politik yang bakal bertanding dalam Pilihan Raya Umum (PRU) akan datang.
PRU15: Isu lokal bukan tumpuan pengundi muda atas pagar - Undi18
Mereka lebih cenderung memilih calon yang mengangkat isu nasional memandangkan ramai yang tidak tinggal di kawasan mereka mengundi.
PRU15: Belia titikberatkan isu kestabilan politik, ekonomi dan kos sara hidup
Kerajaan seterusnya perlu meningkatkan usaha untuk memastikan peranan belia, kata Presiden Persatuan Pemimpin Muda UM, Lim San Shein
PRU15: Pengundi baharu mahu pemimpin bebas rasuah, selami hati rakyat
Kerajaan Persekutuan dan Negeri perlu ditadbir oleh pemimpin yang amanah dalam menjalankan tanggungjawab bagi membentuk sebuah negara yang dipandang tinggi di mata dunia.
Ku Li seru pengundi muda tidak boikot PRU15, rebut peluang mengundi
Pemilih berusia 18 tahun yang bakal mengundi buat kali pertama pada Pilihan Raya Umum ke-15 (PRU15) diseru keluar beramai-ramai menunaikan tanggungjawab mereka.