Voting at 18: When hope is driven by action

An important first step to political awareness is to comprehend the sheer power of a single ballot paper. It represents the voice of Malaysia’s heterogeneous society, the amalgamation of citizens with vastly distinct political beliefs. To play a role in the politics of Malaysia is not a privilege, rather it is a fundamental human right that should be extended to the demographic group that is significantly affected by the outcome of the current general election and that is the youths.

The Undi18 bill spearheaded this attempt for inclusivity and to dissolve archaic beliefs intertwined within the fabric of Malaysian society. The unfortunate implication of this historical movement is the ever growing idea that this demographic group is riddled with ignorance. However, ignorance is taught and the failure to succumb to political awareness is instilled from young to attain control and power. This is precisely why young voters are the beacon of Malaysia’s future and have the ability to shape our country into excellence.

A large misconception about young voters is that politics is the least of our concerns and that we have no intention of learning and absorbing political knowledge. It does not help that the youths are socialising in an environment that deters critical thinking. The current plague of censorship and control has led young voters astray, leading them toward a relentless path of ignorance and political propaganda.

With the results of the 15th General Election making their way into mainstream media, there is a noticeable trend in which old voters are expressing their disdain towards the Undi18 bill claiming that young voters are not equipped with sufficient political knowledge. However, they need to understand that young voters are not homogeneous and the Undi18 bill was not designed to promote the triumph of a particular political party but instead, it was to allow young voters to exercise their fundamental right to be involved in democracy. Young voters need to actively participate in democracy to change the current political climate to transcend this plague of bigotry.

As a new voter, I was not intimidated by the electoral process. I surrounded myself with like-minded individuals who are politically and socially aware of current events unfolding each day. Political commentary is not taboo in my household and the idea of being politically involved was championed by both of my parents. Due to this, I was able to form my own opinions when it came to socio-political issues despite having direct contradiction to my parents’ opinions at times. An issue that I faced while navigating through the election week was that I placed myself in an echo chamber, where every single person I communicated with on a daily basis held similar opinions to mine. I started to realize that my idea of the Malaysian political climate was warped. It was a privilege to be politically aware despite not receiving comprehensive political knowledge from the education system.

My primary source of information throughout the election week was social media. In this modern age championed by technological advancement, it is imperative that young voters harbour an accurate idea of the Malaysian political landscape. Making an informed decision without the influence of media propaganda and parental indoctrination is crucial in forming an efficient and open-minded government. To equip myself with further political knowledge, I started to read the comprehensive manifestos of each political party. Then, I turned to Twitter, where political commentary remains affluent. Navigating through the political side of Twitter was tricky because misinformation is rampant on social media sites. However, the alternative source of information being political campaigns was not as effective as social media especially among young voters where convenience is primarily an important factor in learning.

19th November arrived and I headed out to vote around 10am and was feeling excited. However, the voting process proved to be tedious. The excruciatingly long lines fused with the Malaysian weather, it was a deterrent to many individuals, especially the young voters. Nevertheless, the contentment of finally being a part of change transcends the dreadful periods of waiting, knowing that change takes sacrifices. 

For the first time ever in Malaysian history, the results of the 15th General Election produced a hung parliament where a simple majority was not achieved by any contesting political coalitions. Malaysian democracy entered uncharted territories which inevitably generated diverse responses in social media spaces. 

After an extensive waiting period, we finally have a new prime minister guiding Malaysia in a different political direction. I speak for all Malaysian citizens when I say hope is driven by action. We need to witness first-hand that the new government initiates change in order for us to have trust and confidence that Malaysia is led by compassion and intelligence.

Yashven Jayabalan is currently in his second semester of the SACE International programme at Taylor’s College.

This content is provided by Taylor’s College.