Johor Umno has expressed its support for the government’s proposal to lower the eligible age for voting to 18 from 21.

Johor Umno chief Hasni Mohamad said this decision was reached at the party chapter liaison committee meeting in Johor Bahru today.

“We also support the Umno supreme council’s stand on several amendments, including not just lowering the voting age to 18, but to consider automatic registration of voters at 18 years old,” he told reporters after chairing the meeting.

Hasni said Johor Umno felt that lowering the voting age could make the electoral process more democratic and open, and it was prepared to help in voting registration.

He also said Johor Umno registered 44,536 new members, bringing its membership strength to 439,641 in 2,294 branches.

Most of the new members were youths, he said.

- Bernama