Malaysians as young as 18 years old will be eligible to vote in the country from Dec. 15.
The date was appointed by the king himself, according to the “Undi18” gazette officially lowering the minimum voting age from 21 to 18. The adjustment means that an estimated 1.2 million additional voters will get to cast their ballots in future elections.
“#Undi18 finally a reality. Thank you to everyone who has made it possible,” Undi18 campaign co-founder Qyira Yusri tweeted. She has been campaigning for youths’ rights to vote since 2016.
Malaysia will also implement automatic voter registration to expand the electorate by 4.4 million people, mostly including those from rural areas.
Earlier this year, hundreds joined a protest outside Parliament to call on the government to lower the voting age.
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