KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 — The implementation of Undi18 and the automatic voter registration is expected to be put into practice latest by December 30, 2021 with some 5.6 million additional voters, de facto law minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said today.
Wan Junaidi said the Election Commission (EC) is currently in the midst of identifying several measures including amendments prior to the implementation such as amendments to the Election (Conduct of Elections) Regulations and putting together a cohesive standard operating procedures and infrastructure in place.
“However despite the persisting obstacles and shortcomings, the EC is committed to implementing them, latest by December 30, 2021 as ordered by the Kuching High Court,” he said during his ministerial reply in the Dewan Rakyat earlier today.
To a question from Pontian MP Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, Wan Junaidi also confirmed that there will be some 5.6 million additional voters comprising 4.4 million aged 21 and above; and another 1.2 million aged between 18 and 21 by December 30.
He added that some 500,000 people will be eligible to be registered as voters when they turn 18 annually.
In his September 3 ruling, High Court judicial commissioner Alexander Siew How Wai said the move to delay Undi18 is illegal and irrational.
Siew granted two court orders. The first was to quash the EC and government’s decision to delay the implementation of Undi18 until after September 2022.
The second was a mandamus order that compels the EC and government to take immediate steps for the constitutional amendment which includes Undi18 to “come into operation as soon as possible and in any event by December 31, 2021”.
