GEORGE TOWN, October 8 – On 1 September 2021, the Penang State Legislative Assembly passed the Penang State Constitution (Amendment) Enactment 2021 Bill to amend its State Constitution to lower the minimum age required to be a member of the State Legislative Assembly from 21 years old to 18 years old. The said bill was tabled by the Youth and Sports Executive Councillor of Penang, YB Soon Lip Chee, and garnered bipartisan support in its implementation. This amendment was in accordance with the amendment of the Federal Constitution following the unanimous passing of the Undi18 bill.
Following this progressive amendment, YB Soon Lip Chee has officially launched Calon18: Penang Edition, a political literacy programme powered by UNDI18, in partnership with the Penang State Government and the Penang Youth Development Corporation (PYDC). This programme aims to equip Penang youths, who are now eligible to contest in Penang state elections, with the necessary knowledge and skills to do so. 120 youths aged 18 to 30 years old, born or currently residing in Penang will participate in this two-month programme consisting of a series of seven workshops with topics ranging from Political Financing and Fundraising to Parliamentary Procedures. Each workshop will be conducted by an expert in the related field.
Penang’s Youth and Sports Executive Councillor YB Soon Lip Chee expressed his triumph on the maiden launch of the Calon18 initiative for Penang youths: “In line with allowing youths to be eligible to contest as a candidate in state elections, we need to play a role to prepare the said youths with practical skills to contest as a candidate. It is my hope that through this programme Calon18: Penang Edition, the youths of Penang can utilise this opportunity to develop themselves and improve their political literacy, and play a part in developing Malaysia to be free, equal and progressive.”
PYDC General Manager Dr Gwee Sai Ling encouraged the youths of Penang to take on this opportunity: “With a platform like this, I believe the youths of Penang will be given a chance to equip themselves with the concept and practical skills and prepare themselves to contest as a candidate in state elections and be ready to serve the rakyat. I believe that this programme will encourage the youths to actively participate and involve themselves in contributing ideas to the development of the community, state and country.”
Tharma Pillai, co-founder of UNDI18, noted in his speech during Calon18: Penang Edition’s Press Conference earlier in the morning that: “Calon18 is a joint effort to raise a generation of young leaders that is capable of contributing to the development of the country and the Penang state. In line with UNDI18’s spirit, the youth’s voice must be heard.” PYDC strongly believes that this programme will serve as a stepping-stone for Penang youths to become competent members of the State Legislative Assembly of Penang.
Applications to join the programme are now open at tinyurl.com/calon18apply and will close at 11.59 pm on Sunday, 17 October 2021. UNDI18 also looks forward to working with other state governments to implement the Calon18 programme in the respective states. Calon18 aims to eventually equip all Malaysian youths aged 18 and above with the political literacy to contest in state elections as stipulated in Section 4 of the Undi18 bill.
