Civic Engagement of Young People in Malaysia

Abstract

Voting is an act of political participation in a community. It starts with civic participation, which is the engagement between people in the community and the structure of the government. Several factors influence community participation, such as knowledge, decisionmaking skills, attitude, and values. As Malaysia has legislated the new law of 18 years as the minimum age to vote, in 2023, all 18-year-olds will perform their civic duties as citizens of this country by voting in the 15 th General Election. However, the awareness of voting among young people still needs to improve; many are eligible voters but need to register due to their indifference towards voting responsibly. Many are reported as not being interested in voting. Past studies found that most respondents are aware of their voting responsibilities and actively participate in their communities. Their participation in the community is crucial. Based on the model of forming civic competence, this study aims to create awareness among new young voters about executing their civic responsibility in the community and assist the government in cultivating the value of civic participation among young people through voting. However, young people's knowledge and positive attitude towards civic participation needed to materialise into voting. This study identifies the factors that lead young people to get involved in civic engagement.