Will young Malaysians play a key role in next election through swing votes?

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Iman Muttaqin YusofJanuary 31, 2026 at 05:30 AM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

Malaysia's Undi18 reform, which lowered the voting age to 18 and introduced automatic voter registration, added 5.8 million new voters ahead of the 2022 election. Young voters, targeted through social media campaigns, are now expecting tangible improvements from the government. One example is the People's Income Initiative, which places affordable vending machines in public areas. The 2022 election resulted in a hung parliament, with no coalition securing a majority. Perikatan Nasional (PN), driven by PAS, emerged as a powerful bloc, highlighting the potential influence of young voters in future elections. The next election will show if these young voters continue to be a key demographic.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Terengganu 50% Kelantan 50% Undi18 60% Kuala Lumpur 60% Muhammad Syafiq 70% Perikatan Nasional (PN) 70% People’s Income Initiative (IPR) 70% Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) ×280% Malaysia ×390%

Keywords

malaysian election 90% young voters 80% swing votes 70% undi18 reform 70% hung parliament 60% voter registration 60% people’s income initiative 50% social media campaigning 50% political parties 40%