Deputy minister reiterates supports for Undi18, says only concerned about ‘voter education’

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16 —  Deputy Youth and Sports Minister, Senator Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal, has today reiterated his full support for the Undi18 movement, and said his concerns and calls for voter’s education were misconstrued in a news report. 

He was referring to a report by The Rakyat Post (TRP) which he claimed, angled his comments to say Malaysian youth were not ready to exercise the right to vote as some form of political education needs to be institutionalised first. 

Wan Ahmad Fayhsal while solidifying his support for Undi18 again today said he was merely emphasising on the moral obligation for young voters to do it wisely. 

“It is important to note that this was never my intention. However, I did express my concerns and firm belief that with the rights to vote, also come responsibilities. The right to vote must be accompanied by the moral obligation to do so wisely and judiciously. 

“As one of the proponents of Undi18, I have earlier stated and emphasised the very same belief in news reports previously on the need to educate voters so that they are fully equipped to make an informed decisions come what may.

“What I have said on Clubhouse on Sunday did not depart from what I wrote almost two years ago,” he said in a statement this afternoon referring to his media statement in the past.

TRP yesterday reported that despite the bill passing Parliament in July 2019 and made history as the first successful constitutional amendment which received support from both sides of the political divide, Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan allegedly said on the Clubhouse social audio app that Malaysians are not ready to vote at 18-years-old.

The report stated that the senator allegedly made the statement during a discussion on the New Economic Policy (NEP) on Clubhouse when asked about the present government continuing the work done by the previous government such as Undi 18 which received unanimous support.

Selangor State Executive Councillor private secretary Daniel Teoh who posed the question to Wan Fayhsal in Clubhouse, later on told TRP that the deputy minister initially did not dismiss or object to Undi 18 but felt like he was implying that young Malaysians are not yet ready to exercise their voting rights and they would need some form of prior institutionalised political education.

Wan Ahmad Fayhsal also clarified today that it was important for voter education as the country’s democracy relies heavily on the ability of our citizens to make informed decisions based on established facts instead of speculation and extrapolation. 

“In a constitutional monarchy and such parliamentary democracy as ours, voter education programmes should rightfully cover subjects such as the supremacy of our Federal and State constitutions, the rule of law, the role of the monarchs as our guide and stay, as well as the indispensable purpose of democracy to safeguard our sovereignty as a proud and independent nation. 

“Again, I would like to state that my unequivocal support for Undi 18 remains as steadfast today as it was two years ago. In saying so, this episode is perhaps an opportunity for us to have further conversations on this topic and work together to shape the destiny of this nation that we all love. My doors are always open. let us work together on this,” he added in the statement.

Last week, the Undi18 campaign had demanded Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin reiterate his commitment in ensuring the Constitution amendment to lower voting age goes through.

The statement was issued after Dewan Negara president Tan Sri Rais Yatim from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia recently claiming that the decision to lower the voting age to 18-years-old starting this July was one made hastily and teenagers are still not ready to commit to the democratic process.