KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 13 — Umno should reassess why the public rejected the party in the 15th general election, instead of blaming the cohort of 18 to 20-year-old first-time voters, youth civil society organisation Undi18 said.
Refuting Jerai Umno division delegate Datuk Norma Awang's claims that 18-year-old voters are wet behind the ears when it came to their understanding of politics, Undi18 said her claims were "not only baseless but also considered biased", just because the results of the election were not in her party's favour.
"They need to reflect by reassessing the cause of the people's rejection and looking for the latest formula in attracting the support of this group instead of pointing fingers at them," the group said in a statement here.
The group said voters in that age bracket only made up 3.2 per cent (676,070) of the total 21 million registered voters.
It also said that each political party should celebrate democracy and the participation of more segments of society by expanding the scope, not by further reducing the involvement of people in democracy.
Efforts to educate voters on democracy also need to be done early especially for all first-time voters, it added.
"Young people today are more open and flexible in making judgment, so space and opportunities in democracy should be given to them.
"A person's maturity does not depend on their age alone as it has been proven that there are many local young people who have made a name for themselves on the world stage in various fields," it said.
Free Malaysia Today reported Norma telling delegates at the Umno general assembly this week that the voting age should be raised to 23, and restricted to those who have at least finished their undergraduate studies.
She asserted that Malaysian youths are immature and should not be held to the same standards as western countries where many 18-year-olds have gone on to pursue their Master's degrees and doctorates instead of "getting hooked on drugs and social media".
