KUANTAN, March 27 — The Election Commission (EC) should give a clear explanation on why the implementation of the automatic voter registration and 18-year-old voting age had been postponed.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said the matter had been unanimously agreed upon by all members of Parliament when it was tabled and debated, before being approved in the Dewant Rakyat.

“If it due to a technical issue, it should be clarified and explained,” he told reporters after attending the Erat Kasih Programme with Balok Makmur residents at the Balok Makmur Mosque here today.

Last Thursday, EC chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh was reported to have said that the automatic voter registration and Undi18 (lowering of voting age to 18) could only be implemented after Sept 1, 2022 due to various constraints and issues.

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He said the EC was taking a realistic approach to the current development and situation in the country, which is generally still under the Movement Control Order (MCO) to curb the spread of Covid-19.

At the event, Saifuddin, who is also Indera Mahkota member of parliament and Pahang Perikatan Nasional chairman handed over tablets to 60 students and a contribution of RM100,000 to upgrade the Balok Makmur Mosque.

He also said that the Indera Mahkota Parliamentary Office has provided immediate assistance to owners of 100 houses around Balok, Pelindung, Sungai Karang and Batu Hitam which were damaged by storms on March 23 and 24.

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The assistance includes renting out home stays to provide shelters or temporary accommodation to victims who lost their homes in the incident. — Bernama