SIBU, Oct 26: Newly registered voters and those aged 18 and above who have automatically been registered as voters as part of the Undi18 Bill are not ready to cast their vote in the 15th General Election, says Lanang incumbent Alice Lau.
She reasoned that this was because these new voters are not well-versed with the country’s politics.
“There is no special strategy not only for us but also other political parties to entice new voters to vote, as many of them here are not interested to vote yet,” said Lau today after buying her election nomination form with Sibu incumbent Oscar Ling.
“At the moment those youngsters that I have talked to, I have asked why they are voting, who are the candidates, who is in the government, even who is the Prime Minister; they don’t know. Some even thought that (former prime minister) Najib Razak is the prime minister when he is already in jail.”
She felt that more political education should be taught to the youths.
“We need to put in more political education into the education syllabus as this is what our country has not done very well yet. So we need to teach them from young. Through education we need to let the youths know that they have a say in their vote and their voice will be heard. That is why we pushed for Undi18,” she said.
She said there were some parents enquiring whether their children who are either working or studying in West Malaysia are eligible to vote when they did not personally register as voters.
“Previously those over 21-years-old would have to register but now they don’t have to do so as their registration is automatic due to the effect of Undi18,” she said.
She advised the people to check the Election Commission’s website on their eligibility to vote.
Meanwhile, Ling concurred with Lau, saying that a lot of young voters do not know the importance of GE15.
“Many have said that there is no point to choose the candidates as they are all the same,” he said, adding that the vote of young voters are important as they will shape the future of the country. — DayakDaily
