Despite being able to vote for the first time this year, many voters aged between 18 and 21 are hesitant about returning to cast their votes in the 15th General Election (GE15).
Despite promotions by some airlines, high airfares remain a stumbling block for students, especially those from Sabah and Sarawak, leaving them undecided over whether they can afford the trip.
Universiti Teknologi Mara student Aliah Farhana Azman said she did not have any plan to return to her hometown in Sabah, even though polling day is on Nov 19.
"Many of us from Sabah and Sarawak are unsure about whether to go back as the airfares are not cheap and not student-friendly.
"Even though some airlines have provided offers for GE15, they are expensive for us (students).
"There are no offers for return tickets, only single fares, and the rates are inconsistent with the dates.
"We could end up paying a tonne of money on flight tickets," she told the New Straits Times.
Student and first-time voter Sean Elijah Tan from Sabah, 22, said he too had second thoughts about returning to his hometown to vote due to the high airfares.
"While a RM200 flight ticket is cheap for some students in the peninsula, this is costly for others living elsewhere.
"The fare difference in flight ticket prices — be it RM50 or RM100 — might be the deciding factor whether students vote," he said.
Checks on Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia's websites showed that a direct ticket from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, and Kuching, Sarawak, ranged between RM250 and RM350 for a single fare for a week prior to polling day.
The prices, however, rose the week after polling day, meaning students who wished to travel home to vote might need to pay at least RM700 for return tickets.
Another student from Sabah, Florina Deris, described the high airfares as "absurd" and urged the authorities to allow postal voting for those from Sabah and Sarawak.
"Allowing postal voting is the most effective way to allow Malaysians, including students, to cast their votes without hassle.
"Not all students come from rich families.
"We need help so we can do our part in GE15."
She added that the government should provide aid to students, otherwise the Undi18 initiative would go to waste.
Universiti Tenaga Nasional student Muhammad Haqim Zaidi, 18, said although young voters were aware of their duty to vote, they would be more interested in returning to vote if incentives were given.
"Students are burdened with the rising cost of living. Higher airfares only add to their burden.
"It's imperative that the government provide incentives for students to buy flight tickets, especially those who cannot afford to do so," said the student from Kelantan.
Umar Haikal Mohd Sharan, 18, said government incentives would help students, especially those from rural areas with little income.
"If the government gives some incentives, it will make it easier for students from rural areas to return home and vote as some of them go back to their hometowns only once a year."
Political expert Azmi Hassan said the authorities should heed the complaints of first-time voters on travel cost as they comprise a significant portion of the electorate.
Azmi, who is Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research senior fellow, said young voters comprised 40 per cent of the total 21 million voters.
Leaving them out, he said, would create a massive impact on election results in swing states like Sabah.
"Based on the Election Commission studies, 40 per cent of the total voters are young voters, and out of that, 1.1 million are first-time voters.
"They will create an impact if they vote," he said.
However, he believed many would not return to vote due to the high airfares as well as their disillusionment over the changes of government after the 14th General Election.
Azmi said the Melaka and Johor elections were evidence that young voters would not return to vote as the majority of absentees in these two elections were those working out of state.
"I hope that subsidies, particularly for airfare, would be given to voters from Sabah, Sarawak and in the peninsula."