The two million Malaysians who have yet to register as voters must do so by Dec 31 to be eligible to vote if the next general election is held early next year, reported Berita Minggu.

EC secretary Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar was quated as saying that under existing laws, the commission could comfirm someone as a registered voter only three months after they sign up. "If they register before Dec 31, they will have the right to vote if the elections are held between January and March. It is not possible for a person to register himself this week and be a eligible this week and be a eligible voter the following week," he said. The paper said the majority of the two million were aged below 35 and lived in the Klang Valley.

Wan Ahmad said the response from the younger crowd was unsatisfactory despite the commission's efforts to provide registration services at over 650 post offices and 120 shopping complexes nationwide. He urged those who had yet to register to do so and not blame the commission if they could not vote. Wan Ahmad said it should not like the situation in 1999 when certain quarters wanted to sue the commission. Mingguan Malaysia reported that petrol kiosks in the Klang Valley, Malacca and the East Coast had run out of fuel following the Goverment's ban on heavy vehicles on the road during the festive season.

Petrol Station Operators Association president Alang Zari Ishak was quoted as saying that he recieved 15 complaints from operators in the Kalng Valley and four from Malacca on the matter. "I believe there are more petrol kiosks which have closed whose owners did not inform us. There was never a lack of fuel before and this is not only burdening perators but consumers as well," he said. Alang Sari said that many more kiosks in the city were facing shortage and might close in the next few days.