KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 15 — Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg today said the state government will study the possibility of assisting Sarawak students to return from the peninsula and vote in the 15th general election.
However, he said he could provide specifics on what forms of assistance this would involve.
“Let me discuss with the other state leaders first on how we can bring them back and provide assistance to the students so that they vote,” he said when answering a question from a Sarawak student at a townhall session here this evening.
He also noted that polling day has not yet been set.
Abang Johari, who is also Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chairman, told the students he wanted to ensure Sarawak would be well represented in Parliament.
“What is important for us is we are having an on-going discussion on MA63 (Malaysia Agreement 1963) and if GPS, with a bigger majority in GE15, definitely Putrajaya will hear us.
“I will tell them, ‘You have to listen to us because we have a large number of people behind us in our negotiation on MA63,’” the premier said, adding that other suggestions from townhall session would be considered.
“As long as we are united, we have a bright future and a new vision and Sarawak will be a developed state by the year 2030,” he said.
The session was attended by about 6,000 students aged 18 years’ old and above, studying at the various tertiary institutions in Peninsular Malaysia.
Among those present were Senior Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian, Utility and Telecommunication Minister Datuk Juhaili Junaidi and Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
The voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 in a constitutional amendment in 2019.
