KOTA KINABALU: Reducing the voting to 18 years can make young people aware of their responsibilities and duties towards the country, said Sabah Youth and Sports Minister Phoong Jin Zhe.
He said the government’s decision to lower the voting age to 18, as passed in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday was an important day in history.
“From now on, young people especially secondary school students would be more aware that they have a great responsibility to shoulder.
“They must learn to think and understand politics as well as gain knowledge in making decisions and choices on realising that this is their responsibility and duty as a citizen,“ he said in a statement here.
The Dewan Rakyat created history yesterday when an amendment to the Federal Constitution seeking to lower the voting age to 18, was passed with more than a two-thirds majority.
The bill secured the support of the 211 MPs after it went for bloc voting twice.
Phoong, who is also Luyang state assemblyman said the government had been in full support of the move to reduce the voting age to 18.
He said the state government through the Sabah Youth and Sports Ministry would study the legal aspects of the policy implementation and on becoming state assembly representatives at the age of 18 in Sabah. - Bernama
