Dewan Rakyat Speaker says 12 university parties formed for youth parliament to test proportional representation, with online voting from March
KUALA LUMPUR: Twelve political parties have been established in universities as part of a new Youth Parliament initiative designed to test a proportional representation system.
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul said the platform aims to develop national youth leaders and assess the system as an alternative to the current first-past-the-post method.
“Proportional representation works with parties being set up in campus … parties will campaign and after they win, the parties will choose their candidates to serve as Members of Parliament,” he said on Bernama TV’s Ruang Bicara programme.
He explained that under this system, political contests focus on parties and their manifestos.
This allows parties to select the best candidates to represent the people after achieving victory.
The system also has the potential to raise inclusivity in Parliament.
This includes greater involvement of women, minorities and representatives from Sabah and Sarawak.
Johari said voter registration for those aged 18 to 30 will be managed automatically with the National Registration Department.
He added that voting will be conducted online and is expected to be accessible from March.
The Youth Parliament aims to provide practical exposure for youth to assess the system’s effectiveness.
This will help determine the future direction of the country’s democracy.
It is also a vital effort to expand youth involvement in democratic processes.
The initiative provides early exposure to parliamentary sittings and trains participants to deliver ideas in an organised manner.
Johari said it aligns with strengthening democratic culture and nurturing a mature future generation of leaders.
