The Malaysian Insight

PRIME Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad will hold a special briefing with opposition MPs tomorrow on the government’s proposed constitutional amendment to lower the voting age to 18, said Takiyuddin Hassan.

The PAS secretary-general and Kota Baru MP said the Islamist party is waiting to see if Putrajaya will adopt its proposals to include automatic voter registration and lower the age of election candidates to 18.

“We will support the bill if Putrajaya agrees to these terms. We will wait and see what tomorrow brings,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby today.

Takiyuddin said the bill, which was first tabled on Thursday, can be amended before it is tabled for second reading on July 16, after which MPs will debate on it.

“They will not make a U-turn, just table it (our proposals). That’s all.”

PAS, along with the opposition Umno and Gabungan Parti Sarawak, said they will support the move to lower the voting age from 21 to 18 on the condition that the government include automatic voter registration, as well as amend Article 47 of the constitution on the minimum age for polls candidates. – July 9, 2019.