The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2019 was approved by the Dewan Negara today with a two-thirds majority.
With the passing of the bill, the 15th general election will now see Malaysians aged 18 eligible to vote, as opposed to 21 before this.
Voters will also be automatically registered as voters when they turn 18.
The amendment drew support from 47 of the 68 Senate members, which was more than the two-thirds majority required, while 24 senators took part in the debate session.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Liew Vui Keong, when tabling the bill, said the decision to lower the voting age to 18 was in line with global democratic practices, with many developed nations such as the United Kingdom and Germany having done the same.
“Following this development, Malaysian youth will get the opportunity to shape the nation’s democratic process through the ballot box,” he said.
Liew said the government’s next move was to table amendments to the Elections Offences Act 1954 (Act 5), the Elections (Conduct of Elections) Regulations 1981 and the Election (Registration of Electors) Regulations 2002 at the Dewan Rakyat in October.
“So the headache has just begun for the EC. We will have to start working to ensure all the mechanisms are on the right track to ensure clean and fair elections are held in the upcoming general election,” he said.
The Senate sitting continues on Monday.