KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition lawmakers will reject a motion by the government to amend the Federal Constitution lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 if it does not include an amendment for automatic registration.
Opposition leader Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said in addition, they also demand that the minimum age for an individual to be qualified to contest in the general election be similarly lowered to 18.
He said these conditions were agreed to in consensus by all opposition MPs from Barisan Nasional, PAS and Gabungan Parti Sarawak at a recent meeting.
“They (government) have to agree to our conditions, otherwise we will not support the motion,” he told a press conference in Parliament, here, today.
Ismail said the opposition would table a Private Member’s Bill in the Dewan Rakyat by next week on their proposed conditions.
The motion to amend the constitution, the second time under the Pakatan Harapan government, is expected to be tabled for the first reading tomorrow (July 4), before being debated on July 16.
Explaining the opposition’s demand for automatic registration once an individual turns 18, Ismail said this was to ease the registration process for voters, particularly those living in rural areas who had difficulty travelling.
“Some of them live in extremely rural areas like in Sarawak, and are forced to take boats to travel. So it is hard for them to register themselves,” he said.
