KOTA BARU, Aug 8 — The education of 18-year-old voters will be at the centre of the proposal in the report that the Electoral Reform Committee (ERC) will submit to the government this December.

Its chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman said this was important as about 55 per cent of the 23 million voters in the 15th general election will comprise people aged 35 years and younger.

"This shows that this group has a big role in creating a government. The ERC is aware of this, that is why we are proposing a structured education plan based on the democratic system be created.

"This is our main scope because as of now, we do not have this. This would ensure this group of voters can vote with a sense of responsibility and maturity,” he said.

Abdul Rashid was speaking to reporters at an engagement programme on the ERC held at Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) here today, which was also attended by ERC chief executive Amerul Muner Mohammad.

The open engagement programmes have been held throughout the country since early this year to get feedback from the public on the process of the general election in Malaysia.

The main objective of the ERC is to ensure that in the future, general elections are credible.

Abdul Rashid said the country must be responsible for creating an institution which would serve that purpose.

"We admit that there is a big challenge and all parties must play their part and education based on the concept of democracy must be instilled early including in schools and tertiary institutions,” he said. — Bernama