Dr Ho advocated lowering the age for voting to 18, and urged MPs to raise the issue in Parliament.

He appears to be unaware that this very issue was raised in Parliament during the Committee of Supply debate last year. Deputy Prime Minister S. Jayakumar, who was also then minister for law, gave a detailed explanation, which was reported in The Straits Times on March 3.

In Singapore, we do not have a single threshold age of majority for all purposes. Adulthood is attained through a gradual process, with a progressive increase in rights and responsibilities. For example, one may drive at 18; but must be 21 to qualify to be a Member of Parliament, or to make a will, to renounce citizenship or to enter certain professions, such as the law, public accountancy or engineering; and be 25 to adopt a child.

Voting in elections is a very serious matter. The voting age of 21 means that many voters would have finished national service or even have some working experience. They would then be in a better position to assess the quality of the candidates and to make considered judgments about the national issues at stake in the political debate. It is for these reasons that voting age in Singapore is 21.

S. Radha (Ms)
Head, Corporate Communications
Ministry of Law