Letter to Editor
SEVERAL Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) MPs have come out to ask the oppositions not to “politicise” the Undi18 issue, including de facto Law Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, on the pretext that it will cause unnecessary confusion and further misinformation.
As a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) and a lawyer, Wan Junaidi ought not to look down on the intelligence of the youths these days while overlooking the legal anomalies over the current Sarawak Constitution and the non-implementation of Undi18.
Pushing for the election before Undi18 can be implemented will allow 18 year olds to stand as a candidate to be a State Legislative Assembly Member (ADUN) but disallowed to vote for the election.
This is by virtue of the previous amendment to Article 16 of the Sarawak Constitution in 2020 which lowered the age of qualification for our State Legislative Assembly – and the passing of the Undi18 bill in 2019.
This is not only the biggest legal anomaly which as a Law Minister Wan Junaidi must be aware of, but a shame to our legal system.
Calling on the opposition’s not to politicise the implementation of Undi18 is not only looking down on youth intelligence but also sanctioning and allowing for this ridiculous legal anomaly to knowingly occur in Sarawak.
As a youth, I am totally ashamed that our de facto Law Minister who is supposedly a lawyer, a Sarawakian and a supporter of the Undi18 implementation is allowing this to happen to our youths in Sarawak! – Nov 7, 2021
Cherishe Ng
Secretary
Wanita Keadilan Sarawak
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Pic credit: Mole.my
