What made the Undi 18 constitutional amendment pass unanimously in Dewan Rakyat?

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Unanimous Support Propels Undi 18 Bill Passage in Dewan Rakyat

The Bill to amend the Federal Constitution to lower the voting age to 18 years old, which also includes provisions for automatic voter registration and allowing 18-year-olds to contest in elections, achieved unanimous support in the Dewan Rakyat. This constitutional amendment, the first for the Pakatan Harapan administration, garnered a significant 211 votes, surpassing the required two-thirds majority of the 222-member Parliament, with zero dissenting votes and no abstentions. Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad expressed gratitude for the cross-party backing, highlighting it as a moment of unity for the benefit of all Malaysians.
Bipartisan Backing Secured for Constitutional Amendment

The Bill's passage was a result of strong consensus between the government and the Opposition. It received unanimous endorsement from both Opposition bloc members and government backbenchers present during the parliamentary sitting. This broad support ensured the Bill cleared both its second and third readings without encountering any significant obstacles, culminating in a total of 211 votes in favour.
Addressing Concerns on Voter Education and Electoral Rolls

During the parliamentary debate, concerns were raised regarding the political and democratic literacy of younger voters. In response, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad highlighted the Election Commission's existing Voter Education Programme, which has been in place since 2017, and the APR Associate Trainer (AAT) programme designed to train more educators. The Election Commission has scheduled 150 voter education programmes for the year, aiming to reach 45,000 students. Furthermore, the government committed to addressing issues related to the cleanliness of electoral rolls and the updating of voter addresses before the full implementation of automatic voter registration.
Rejection of Compulsory Voting Proposal

The government clarified its stance on compulsory voting when it was raised in Parliament. Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad stated that there were no current plans to implement mandatory voting. He cited data from countries with compulsory voting systems, such as Singapore (93.56 per cent turnout), Australia (91.89 per cent), Belgium (88.3 per cent), and Austria (80 per cent), indicating that even with such measures, 100 per cent voter turnout is not always achieved.

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What made the Undi 18 constitutional amendment pass unanimously in Dewan Rakyat?

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