PUTRAJAYA, Thurs. - From next year, eligible Malaysians will be able to register as voters with the Election Commission on any working day.

All they have to do is go to designated places authorised by the commission and submit their applications.

This means the present exercise of the commission in conducting voter registration over a maximum of 42 days, usually in the first half of the year, will be done away with.

Election Commission chairman Datuk Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman said the commission had yet to identify the designated areas but would most probably include post offices, district offices and national and State registration departments.

"We are very serious. It's best to allow those eligible to register right away. There is no need for them to wait for so long," he said in an interview.

These are among changes the commission had agreed to implement following sweeping amendments proposed to the 10 laws and regulations governing the country's electoral process.

Abdul Rashid said the process of verifying and gazetting the electoral roll would also be carried out simultaneously.

Elaborating, he said after an individual registers, his name would be displayed to allow for objections and claims before being gazetted.

'Panel to streamline laws governing electrol process'

"With this, the entire process would be shortened to less than three months." he said.

Abdul Rashid added that the commissioned agencies should be easily accessible to allow even those living in remote areas to register.

The commission had been criticised by political parties before the last general election as it had taken almost nine months to verify and gazette the 1999 electoral roll.

In the commission's client's charter, it is stated that the verification and gazetting of electoral rolls should not exceed six months.

Abdul Rashid said the Government had directed the commission to expedite these processes.

"We were told to expedite all these processes so as not to make voters wait a long time before they are allowed to vote," he said.

Abdul Rashid said the 10 laws and regulations to be amended were the Elections Act 1958, Election Offences Act 1954, Election (Conduct of Elections) Regulations 1981, Elections (Registration of Electors) Regulations 1971, Elections (Registration of Electors) (Sarawak) 1971, Elections (Registration of Electors) (Sabah) 1971, Elections (Postal Voting) Regulations 1959 (for the States of Malaya), Elections (Postal Voting) Regulations 1959 (for Sabah and Sarawak) and Fees (Remission of Postage on Parliamentary and 'State election communications) Order 1959.

"We are amending all the laws, Acts as well as regulations. We will also streamline the Iaws governing the electoral process in the peninsula and in Sabah and Sarawak," he said.

Asked whether there would be changes in the amount a candidate would be allowed to spend during an election, Abdul Rashid said a higher amount had been recommended.

"We are going to increase the amount, I can't tell you exactly," he said, adding that it would at least be doubted.

"It's only fair to allow a higher amount as people spend more on elections these days such as having to print posters and on transportation."

At present, a candidate vying for a parliamentary seat is allowed to spend up to RM50,000 and those contesting a State seat, RM30,000.

Asked whether the amount of money required to be deposited by a candidate would also be increased, Abdul Rashid said, "That too is being reviewed.

"We have not decided on the new amount but are looking into it."

At present, a candidate for a parliamentary seat must deposit RM5.000 and those contesting a State seat, RM3,000.

On whether the committee looking at the amendments would decide that voting be made compulsory, he said this was not considered as "compulsory voting meant compulsory registration."

Abdul Rashid said registration over the Internet had also been rejected as applicants were required to furnish original documents before their applications could be processed.

Asked when the commission would embark on the re-delineation exercise, Abdul Rashid said this would begin in October.

"We are merely collecting the data now," he said, adding that as the last re-delineation exercise was gazetted in 1993, the commission was only allowed to begin the next exercise in October.

Q: Datuk has the commission started conducting the redelineation exercise of electoral boundaries?

A: We have not actually started. The exercise can only be done eight years after the last one. We are now merely collecting data but officially we cannot start.

Q: Most of the provisions in the nine laws and regulations governing the electoral process are rather archaic. Your comments please?

A: We are amending all the nine Acts as well as regulations. Where necessary, we will amend. A committee, which includes officials from the Attorney-General's chambers, was formed after the last general election, They are looking at the review.

Q: Can you tell us some of the amendments the committee is looking at?

A:We are now talking about empowerment. The commission has very little power. Some think we should have more clout. It is the question of enforcement. But if you give us too much power, we will be seen as too powerful (laughs). We are looking at ways to control activities among others on nomination day, whether to allow processions which could spark trouble etc.

These seem to be getting worse. We will find some means to control these activities. The law has been silent on this. Now we will have to introduce some legislation. We do not want the police to have problems. They already have so many things to do.

Q: Who will you penalise if supporters of a party continue to have processions?

A: The proposal is to completely do away with processions. Nomination is a very simple process. All a candidate has to do is to fill up a simple form and just submit it.

Q. Will the same method be applied for polling day?

A: We will try to limit congregation. We allow political parties to put up their own pondok panas. This, I think should not be allowed anymore. We are looking into these kind of things. There is no point having them as the commission already provides all these facilities. If it's insufficent, we can provide more facilities. All we want is for voters to be allowed to cast their votes freely without being assisted by any suppoters of political parties.

Let polling day be a peaceful day without any form of harassment. Nowadays, people are getting more violent. We have lots of complaints from voters claiming they were being harassed and that they were coaxed to vote for a particular party. It's alright if you assist the elderly and sick but you should not try to influence them.

It is rather difficult for us to stop these practices, such as canvassing of votes, but we did'nt want all these to be happening around polling stations. We will have to tighten the regulations.

Q: Are you looking at keeping the supporters away from polling centres?

A:We will perhaps increase the present limit. At present, these people are not allowed to be within a radius of 50 yards from the polling centres.

But like I said, we will have to be careful as too far a distance may not be good for the older folks.

Q:But again, there is this question of enforcement?

A: We will be discussing this with the police. We will seek their assistance on the best way to implement this.

Q: This proposal about allowing eligible Malaysians to register throughout the year was made when you were secretary. When will we actually see it materialising?

A:We will introduce a law for this. We are very serious. It's best to allow those eligible to register right away. There is no need for them to wait. The present system does not allow many people to register as voters straight away. We will start doing this from next year as it is not possible to do it now.

Q:And what about verifying and gazetting the electoral roll?

A:We will shorten the process from time taken to apply, verify and gazette. We are thinking of reducing this to within three months. A longer process will only deprive a newly registered person from voting.

Q:When do you see all the revelant laws being passed by Parliament?

A:We hope to complete all these processes within six months. My officers are working very hard. But we do not want to make mistakes. We must do a detailed and thorough study.

Q:How are you going to complete it within six months?

A:We have been getting a lot of support from the Government. They are encouraging us to quicken the pace of the entire electoral process and to address problems the commission encountered in trying to organise an election previously.

Q:Are there plans to lower the present 21-year voting age?

A:No. We cannot propose. If it is the wish of the people or the Government, it is up to them. That is not our area. This is because such things are contained in the Federal Constitution.

Q: Will voting be made compulsory?

A:Strictly no. I would not want to implement that kind of a rule. I have make myself clear previously. I studied laws in some developed countries where they have compulsory voting. Compulsory voting means compulsory registration. With people being so mobile in this country, how are you going to make it compulsory for them to vote.

And if two million voters are unable to vote, how are you going to prosecute them.

Q:On allowing candidates to spend more during campaigning?

A:We are going to increase the amount. I can't tell you exactly. Some people tend to spend more. It's only fair to allow a higher amount as people spend more on elections these days such as having to print poster and on transportation.

Q:It is going to be double the present amount?

A:A bigger amount is recommended. However, the figure will be reasonable and would reflect the actual expenditure. But the amount would not be so big as to indicate that candidates can use the money to spend on voters.

Q:Will the amount of deposit to be put in by candidates be increased too?

A:That too is being reviewed. We have not decided the new amount but are seriously looking at it.

Q:If the amount is too high, it may seen to be not democratic?

A:I understand. But if it is too little, then any Tom, Dick and Harry can come and contest just for the fun of it, even knowing that he is not serious contender.

Q:What is the amount being proposed by the commission?

A:We have not finalised this.

Q:During your tenure as secretary, you had been consistent in reminding the mainstream media to give equal coverage to all political parties. With the advent og IT, some Internet newspaper, which sympathised with the Opposition, had been set up. Do you still feel the mainstream media should give equal coverage to all parties?

A:Yes. Let Malaysians decide (their choice) by way of getting the correct information (from the mainstream media). I am not saying the mainstream media has been unfair but I think the coverage given to the Opposition has not been good enough.

Q:The postal votes issue had always been delicate with some Opposition supporters claiming it was used by the Barisan Nasional to win in some places?

A:This is not true. During the last general election, there were postal voters who voted against the Government and in some areas, the numbers were significant. I dont think that is true when you say postal voters are being used or forced to vote for some party.

Q:Are there plans to abolish postal voting?

A:How can we do it. If registered Malaysian are not in the country, how would they vote.

Q:Tell us how will eligible Malaysians nationwide be able to register as voters when they reach 21 years?

A:We will commission some agencies. We have not shortlisted any but it is likely to be post offices. State registration departments, district offices etc. We have to look at agencies which have such networks modern IT systems and it has to be on-line. Things must be done fast.

Q:Does the commission plan to allow registration over the Internet?

A:That is not possible. We have deliberated the matterand decided against it. We still need to examine documents.

Some people are such that they will cheat given half the chance. As long as we cannot rely on peoples' honesty and integrity, we will not take this chance. We will have to check and verify the authenticity of documents. As for now, registering over the Internet will do more harm than good.

Q:There was an earlier suggestion to introduce a cooling-off period between campaigning and polling to ensure there was no untoward incidents on polling day?

A:We don't know whether that may help or not. We may not introduce a cooling-off period, perhaps what we may do is to ensure campaigning stops earlier than now.

But like I said, we will have to discuss this with the police first as we cannot enforce anything.

Q:How do you ensure a candidate's statement for expenses during an election is authentic?

A:Our job is to make sure all candidates submit their statements on expenditure to us. These are to be furnished as proof to the opposing candidates in the event there is a query. But if the other party can prove that his or her opposition's expenses were more than stated, all we can do is refer the matter to the court.

Q:Datuk, have leaders of any political party called on you since your appointment to share their views on the proposed amendments?

A:Their views are very much welcome. But they have not visited me. I think they all like me (laughs).

Datuk Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman, a veteran of for general elections, several State elections and scores of by-elections, served as secretary with the Election Commission for 17 years before being transfered to the Education Ministry as deputy secretary-general (II) in 1995.

He was deputy seretary-general (I) when he retired from the civil service in 1997.

Abdul Rashid, 59, who was appointed Election Commission secretary on Oct 1, 1979, began his career in the Civil Service as an administrative and diplomatic officer on Aug 7, 1967.

Among the posts he held were Malacca Municipal Council secretary and deputy director-general of local government in the Local Government and Federal Territory Ministry.

Although the book he wrote in 1994, The 'Conduct of Elections in Malaysia', is an authority on election procedures in the country. Abdul Rashid is not about to rest on his laurels.

He has plans to write another book on the subject. The draft of the book is ready.

Abdul Rashid, who has been chairman of the Saidina Abu Bakar Mosque in Bangsar for a decade now, is also the younger brother of former Malaysian Airlines managing director Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman.