KUALA LUMPUR: The Election Commission (EC) should review a proposal to create an annual expansive list of 20-year olds, which can be used to address issues of unregistered voters among youths whose number is now closing into four million.
Former deputy EC chairman Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Wan Omar said the proposal was previously discussed during his stint onboard EC's panel which included former EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof.
However, Wan Ahmad said the proposal could not be relayed to the administration due to the hectic schedule over preparations for the 13th general election.
Based on the National Registry Department's record, Wan Ahmad said the EC could implement efforts to track down 400,000 20-year olds who would be eligible voters after a year.
"When these 20-year olds turn 21, the EC will make efforts to reach them via mail or online to request them voluntarily register as voters.
"As of now, we have almost four million (youths) who are unregistered voters. We cannot remain silent over this matter, or (stop short at) simply encouraging them to go out and vote because the people have not changed so much (their attitude on polls), despite experiencing a series of general elections.
"Since joining the EC in 1997, (I had found out) that there were two million unregistered voters. And the number kept increasing over the course of four general elections.
"It is not that I want to put a pressure on EC, but I just feel that the proposal should be reviewed, and also it is time for it to be given a serious consideration as a solution," Wan Ahmad said when contacted today.
On Friday, political analyst Associate Prof Datuk Dr Ismail Sualman proposed for compulsory pre-registration of school leavers as voters.
Ismail expected voter pre-registration would increase the number of youths to be registered to more than 90 per cent, upon reaching the eligibility age 21.
In response, Wan Ahmad disagreed and said it would be too early for school-leavers to take part in politics.