ISKANDAR PUTERI, Jan 6 — The Johor legislative assembly today passed an amendment to the state’s constitution, lowering the voter and contest eligibility from 21 to 18-years-old.
The amendment will see the Undang-Undang Tubuh Kerajaan Negeri Johor 1895 (Amendment) Enactment 2021 in allowing 18-year-olds registered in the state to contest seats.
It changes the previous eligibility age of candidates for state seats from 21 to 18 years old.
The amendment, under Clause 16 of the second part of the Johor state constitution, was approved unanimously by all assemblymen present after the third reading this morning.
The Bill was initiated by Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad during the special sitting in Bangunan Sultan Ismail, Kota Iskandar here.
The amendment was then debated by Hahasrin Hashim (BN-Panti) and K. Raven Kumar (BN-Tenggaroh) who represented the government bloc, while Andrew Chen Kah Eng (PH-Stulang and Mohammad Taqiuddin Cheman (PH-Pulai Sebatang) represented the Opposition.
State assembly Speaker Suhaizan Kayat said the amended enactment shall come into force on a date to be fixed by the state government.
He said the notification will be done in a state government gazette.
Johor was among the last states, besides Melaka, that have finally amended its state constitution to be in line with the Undi18 provision to lower the voting age and implement automatic voter registration.
In a federal government gazette on December 1, 2021 the implementation of Undi18 and automatic voter registration was gazetted and will take effect on December 15 last year.
