KUALA LUMPUR: Automatic voter registration, increase in cost, and change of addresses will be among the upcoming challenges facing the Election Commission (EC) ahead of the 15th general election.
EC chairman Azhar Azizan Harun said in the next general election, the commission would have to prepare facilities for over 22 million voters.
“In 2023, we will have eight million voters who are 18-years-old, and during the next general election, we might have more than 22 million voters.
“During the recent by-elections, we made some improvements on several matters such as (increasing) the number of workers, voting channels and facilities for the disabled, among others,” he told reporters in Parliament.
On automatic voter registration, Azhar believed that the commission would be able to manage it well.
“However, after this we must ensure the involvement of all political stakeholders to ensure smooth automatic voter registration.
“We also will be meeting non-governmental organisations and various government agencies such as the National Registration Department, the Prisons Department and Health Ministry.”
Azhar said the EC is also looking at organising a campaign to encourage Malaysians to update their addresses to their current ones.
Today, the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2019 to lower the voting age to 18 was approved in the Dewan Rakyat with more than two-third majority.
Parliament has 222 members of parliament. The 211 who were present had unanimously voted for the amendment, surpassing the minimum requirement of 148 votes.