KUCHING: Malaysians have generally accepted the government’s decision to lower the voting age from 21 to 18.
Political analyst Datuk Peter Minos believed that the country’s law-makers, in passing the Bill to effect the change in Parliament last Tuesday, have operated on the assumption that at 18, a person is well-informed and can think and act properly.
“Hopefully so – only time can tell,” he said.
According to Minos, political literacy among the youths arises from possessing an inherent interest in political affairs and also through real-world experiences.
“I was keen on public affairs and issues way back in 1967-1968 when I was in Form 6,” he reminisced during an exclusive interview with New Sarawak Tribune. He told how he later joined Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Youth.
“You can, as youths, read and chat about politics. But there is nothing like being physically involved in politics especially during elections when there are excitement and thrills.
“Now, let us see how the decision will affect our Malaysian society in the years ahead,” Minos stated.
He opined that an 18-year-old still has a lot to learn even in this modern era of technological advancements and social media.
“Technology has certainly helped in the spreading and retrieving of information, knowledge, facts, figures, news and so on. But how all these affect the voting trend and pattern, we cannot as yet tell,” he explained.
