Tharma Pillai

Thanks to Tharma Pillai, millions of young Malaysians now have a stake in the country’s politics. Undi 18, the youth-led movement he co-founded, helped to push through one of the nation’s most important democratic reforms, the Undi 18 Bill. Passed in December 2021, it lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.

This allowed Malaysian citizens aged 18 to vote and be automatically registered as a voter by the Election Commission. The introduction of this act is expected to result in 7.8 million additional voters included to the electoral roll by 2023, making voters under the age of 40 the biggest and most influential bloc.

Beyond lowering the voting age, Tharma sees Undi 18 playing a significant role in promoting a youth-centric agenda and pushing for democratic reforms. He sees the organisation playing a major role in empowering, educating and engaging with Malaysian youth. Undi 18’s initiatives like Parlimen Digital, Undi Ketiga and Seeds for Democracy all play a crucial role in educating voters, helping them understand policies beyond politics.