Ismail Sabri Yaakob
KUALA LUMPUR: The Opposition bloc yesterday thanked the Pakatan Harapan government for agreeing to amend the Federal Constitution to provide for automatic voter registration and lower the eligible age of electoral candidates to 18.
Opposition Chief Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the decision by the government in withdrawing the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2019 showed it listened to the views by the opposition.
“Since the government has agreed to the suggestion, the opposition will certainly support the motion which will be tabled tomorrow (today),” he said when met at Parliament lobby.
Earlier in Parliament yesterday, the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2019 and the National Security Council (Amendment) Bill 2019, scheduled to be tabled for the second reading , were withdrawn.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in explaining the development to reporters at the Parliament lobby, said the government withdrew the bill (on lowering the voting age and eligible age to be electoral candidates) so that the improved version could be tabled today. — Bernama