The group is seeking a declaration by the High Court that delaying implementation of the Undi18 Act is illegal and akin to voter suppression, and that those aged between 18 and 20 years have a legitimate expectation that they will be granted the right to vote by July.
It wants the court to compel the government to lower the voting age before July, regardless of automatic voter registration.
At a press conference after filing the review this morning, Rifqi Faisal, a youth activist from Sarawak and one of the applicants, said: “Undi18 holds firm to our belief that youths between the ages of 18 and 20 are owed their constitutional right to vote.”
Qyira Yusri, Undi18’s co-founder and education director, said even if the application was unsuccessful, it would have a ripple effect as the youths affected by the delay would eventually become voters.
She said this group of voters would realise that the government was not youth-friendly or forward-thinking.
“When they are allowed to vote, they will keep this in mind.”
Qyira said that with more young people becoming politically active, the government’s actions could “risk alienating and angering an increasingly passionate and active segment of the population”.
She also said that while Umno ministers Reezal Merican Naina Merican and Khairy Jamaluddin had been vocal in their support for those aged 18 to vote and also on automatic registration and youths standing as election candidates, more needed to be done “lest the party is seen as complicit in the matter”.
In a statement announcing the deferment of Undi18 until September next year, EC had blamed the Covid-19 pandemic for hampering its preparations. The bill had been unanimously approved by Parliament in 2019.
“Preparations towards this goal have been ongoing. However, EC is being realistic. With the current pandemic and movement control orders in place, our preparations have been interrupted.
“As such, the automatic voter registration and Undi18 can only be implemented after Sept 1, 2022, after taking into account the obstacles we are facing,” it said.
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