Go Green Podcast by MHIRA latest episode featuring Tharma Pillai, Co-Founder of UNDI 18. Listen to this insightful session as he speaks about Championing The Future Generation’s Voice – What’s next for Malaysia? 

UNDI 18 is a national organization that heavily focuses on the youth empowerment movement that successfully advocated for the amendment of article 119(1) of the federal constitution to lower the voting ages in Malaysia.

Coming from a family personally involved in social justice and hoping his voice can help create change in society, Tharma Pillai’s sense of justice was partially shaped by his aunt Dr Selva Vathany, who lifted the lid on the systematic abuse of the welfare system for Orang Asli. Lowering the voting age to 18 is an issue of justice for Tharma who co-founded Undi 18, a youth-led movement dedicated to democratic reforms, with Qyira Yusri whom he met at a Malaysian student leadership conference in the United States. 

Despite the law recognizing 18 years old as the age of majority, youth between 18 and 21 were not allowed to vote. It was the case for Malaysia until recently when the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2019 was passed, permitting those who are between 18 and 21 years old to have a say in determining the future leader of Malaysia towards becoming a progressive nation beyond 2050.