KUCHING: The fact that 18-year-olds will not be eligible to vote in the coming Sarawak election has some people claiming it is a move to disenfranchise youth while others are praising Putrajaya for showing its commitment to Undi18 by gazetting the amendment to lower the voting age from 21 to 18.

       Undi18 Sarawak coordinator Soon Wei Xen said he welcomed the gazettement but was disappointed that youths would not be able to vote this time around.

       He said the young voters’ movement had advocated the state election be delayed to next year to allow youth their fundamental right to vote.

       “Instead, the state assembly was dissolved on Nov 3 and the polls slated for Dec 18.

       “It is apparent that Sarawakian youths, who number around 125,000 to 135,000, will be forced to miss this election, much as we do not want to,” he said.

       According to the Federal Gazette dated Dec 1, the implementation of Undi18 and automatic voter registration has been gazetted and will take effect on Dec 15.

       De facto Law Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the Sarawak election would use the electoral roll that was updated on Nov 2.

       He said although the amendment was gazetted on Nov 25 and would come into effect on Dec 15, the implementation would only begin from January next year.

       “This is based on the legal process including decisions by the Kuching High Court, and not to deny the rights and aspirations of youths aged 18 years old and over to vote.

       “There is no pressure from any groups on this issue.

       “This is not to disenfranchise Sarawakian youth voters.

       “In fact, Sarawak is ready to accept these voters,” he said yesterday.

       The Election Commission (EC) has also confirmed that the Federal Gazette on the matter had received the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s consent.

       The yet-to-be-registered Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) meanwhile said it was disappointed over the announcement, as the amendment to lower the voting age to 18 was passed in Parliament in 2019.

       “The EC should have had enough preparations to have this implemented, at least state by state,” said Muda secretary-general Amira Aisya.

       “The Sarawak election could be held at a later date, such as in January.

       “The rush to hold it hinders the Undi18 generation from being involved in the process,” she said.

       Universiti Teknologi Malaysia political analyst Dr Azmi Hassan said Wan Junaidi’s explanation was acceptable as the EC would require time to update the electoral roll to include 18-year-old voters.

       “However, I’m not sure how many Sarawakian youth voters will be affected, but then again, it is not that easy to implement Undi18 when the electoral roll isn’t cleaned up,” he said.

       Azmi also cited EC’s figures stating that once Undi18 was implemented by January, there would be an additional 1.5 million voters in the country.

       DAP Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii accused the EC of failing Sarawakians because it had two years to implement Undi18 since the amendments were passed in 2019.

       He also accused the EC of having little political will to see through the implementation of Undi18.