The number of people aged 21 and above in Sabah who have yet to register as a voter is above the national average of 25.2 percent, which Sabah Election Commission Director Md Idrus Ismail describes as worrying.
He said today, 312,338 or 26.9 per cent of the 1.1 million people aged 21 and above in the state are yet to register as a voter. As of Dec 31 last year, only 848,473 people have registered as voters, he said.
At the national level, those aged 21 and above and eligible to register as of March 7 was 15.7 million people, with 3.93 million or 25.2 per cent yet to register.
Md Idrus cited disinterest in the democratic process as the main reason for Sabahans to skip the registration.
“They know where they have to register, but they decline to do so as they regard their role in the democratic process lightly,” he said. He also said that some Sabahans studying or working in the peninsula also did not register because they felt that they would not be able to come back to vote even if they did.
Md Idrus said the Election Commission, with the cooperation of government agencies, political parties and non-governmental organisations, would intensify the voter registration campaign to encourage more young people to register before the next general election.
– Bernama
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