‘Automatic voter registration soon’

EC: We are getting ready to implement new ruling before the next general election

GEORGE TOWN: The Election Commission (EC) is expected to have the system for automatic voter registration up and running in 18 months, including making Malaysians eligible to vote from the age of 18.

Its chairman Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun said the commission was getting the infrastructure and system ready to implement the new ruling before the next general election.

“Our target is between 18 and 24 months but of course we will work hard to do it as soon as possible.

“When we are ready, we will implement it. Now we are looking to get the infrastructure and system in hand,” he said.

Azhar said the EC would also be conducting a campaign to update voters’ addresses and engage with political parties on the voting age ruling before deciding on the precise date of implementation.

For the first time in Malaysian history, the Dewan Rakyat unanimously said yes to lowering the voting age to 18 on July 16, and it was also announced that Malaysians would be automatically registered as voters.

On the Tanjung Piai by-election, Azhar said preparations for the parliamentary by-election were going well and the commission would mobilise more than 1,000 election workers at 28 polling centres.

Earlier, Azhar attended a democracy forum organised by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and the EC at Dewan Budaya.

He said the programme was a good initiative to increase awareness among university students about democratic practices in the country.

“The involvement of public universities like USM is commendable.

“It is a good effort between EC and the university to work together on this matter,” he said.

Among the panellists invited to talk at the forum were Batu Uban assemblyman A. Kumaresan, Seri Delima assemblyman Syerleena Abdul Rashid and political analyst Prof Dr Sivamurugan Pandian.

Also present was USM deputy vice-chancellor Prof Dr Aldrin Abdullah.