KUALA LUMPUR: The government has given an undertaking that the Undi18 and automatic voter registration will be implemented before Dec 31, otherwise it might be subject to contempt of court.
Law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said this in the Dewan Rakyat today.
“We do not have a choice. We need to implement it before the (Dewan) meeting ends or the court has said the government and the prime minister will be in contempt of court,” he said.
The Dewan Rakyat will sit until Dec 16, and the Dewan Negara until Dec 23.
The Kuching High Court had on Sept 3 ordered for the lowering of voting age from 21 to 18 and automatic voter registration to be implemented by Dec 31.
Wan Junaidi said he had informed the Cabinet that he would table amendment 119 in two weeks to amend laws in the Federal Constitution related to the new minimum voting age and automatic voter registration.
The proposed amendments had been approved at the second meeting of the second session of the 14th Parliament.
He said the Election Commission had taken immediate steps to implement this as soon as possible, including preparing SOPs and the right infrastructure.
He also said the EC had submitted the contents to the Cabinet on Nov 23 and all menteris besar and chief ministers had agreed to amending their state legislations.
Undi18 will not be implemented in time for the Sarawak elections to be held on Dec 18.