By Samantha Kuan Zi Yi
The Penang Youth Development Center (PYDC) recently hosted a column writing competition themed, Youth For Future, “Umur 18 Jadi Calon – Your Voice Matters”. Participants of this competition were tasked to write about young adults becoming the future leaders of Malaysia and whether they should be given the chance to stand in the general elections.
A student from Han Chiang University College of Communication (HCUC), Tan Khoon Wei, took part in the competition just as an assignment exercise.
In his article, the third place winner expressed that allowing young adults from the age of 18 to stand for elections or to be eligible for voting, is significant as a person is said to have reached adulthood at the age of 18. They become an active member of society by participating in economic activity while exercising problem-solving skills in their daily life.
While he cautioned certain 18 year olds might possess childish mentality, such behaviour is common among people of all ages. He thus agreed that 18 years olds should stand for elections.
Khoon Wei believes that young people should be given the chance to compete in the elections and allowed to create their own future. He thinks that the government’s deliberation to switch the eligibility of age from 21 to 18 is timely, because there are many young leaders speaking up in national discourse on issues affecting Malaysians. The voices of the youth could be an invaluable source of insight for the rest of the nation to heed.
Khoon Wei supports the advocacy of the Malaysian Students’ Global Alliance for the amendment of Article 119 (1) of the Federal Constitution to reduce the minimum voting age in Malaysia from 21 to 18 years old. When asked about his interest in becoming a part of HCUC’s Student Representative Council, Khoon Wei said he is open to exploring such opportunities.
Khoon Wei has met leaders who could articulate their ideas with clarity, and lead planned projects with wisdom. But the same leaders unfortunately react unprofessionally during crises. For Khoon Wei, a respectable leader could manage their stress, navigate sporadic challenges with a level-headed approach, and steer their people towards a practical and effective solution. An example is Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s leadership during Covid-19 that rallied the nation together in a moment of uncertainty.
“Although we are not the government you vote for, we are doing our best,” Khoon Wei cited the iconic statement by the Prime Minister during the press conference, something which convinced him that the government of the day is doing its best to contain the situation.
For Khoon Wei, the government should create more opportunities for teenagers or young adults. It is important for him that the government acknowledges the achievements or contributions of young people. Young people want to feel recognised and appreciated, and such acknowledgement would drive them to do more for the country.
Leave a Reply