The proposed constitutional amendments to make the electoral roll definitive and final is still at an embryonic stage and will only be submitted to the Parliament after Cabinet's approval, said minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dr Rais Yatim today.

He did not give a deadline on when the amendments would be initiated, stressing that the proposed amendments were intended to make the electoral rolls genuine.

"I cannot comment too much on this because they are a few more proposals coming, but I can say that the Election Commission (EC) should be given the task of making the voters roll exhaustive before the roll is gazetted by the Cabinet," said Rais.

"We have to examine Article 119 of the Federal Constitution. I am now working closely with a few quarters on the proposals, but I can only make the final announcement after the Cabinet approves the mechanism of the proposal," he added after officiating a two-day seminar on Syariah prosecution at the Malaysia Institute for Islamic Understanding (Ikim).

Article 119 stipulates the conditions as well as regulations for the registration of voters.

Last Thursday Rais said the Federal Constitution will be amended next week to prevent legal challenges to the electoral roll.

The minister was reported as saying that this will also indirectly "help eliminate the problem of phantom voters", though he offered no explanation.

(Phantom voters are those who use fake identity cards or cards that belong to others to register as genuine voters.)

With the approval of the necessary constitutional amendments, Rais said that voters who had grouses could still appeal to the EC or register the next time the commission conducted its voter registration.

"The marginalised voters can appeal and insert their names later but they must meet the prerequisites of having a blue identity card, proper citizenship documents and other requirements," Rais said.

NGOs not the target

On another matter, Rais told reporters that the proposed amendments to the Registration of Businesses Act which would give the Registrar of Businesses power to revoke or refuse licences was not aimed at non-governmental agencies.

"If it is categorised as a business, it should remain a business and NGOs should remain as NGOs and not go beyond. That is the principle of the matter," Rais said

NGOs condemned the proposal brought up in Parliament last Thursday, as many human rights organisations such as Suaram and international human rights groups such as Amnesty International were registered as businesses and not as societies.

Rais, however, said that the government is not embarking on a concerted campaign to clamp down on such NGOs.

"We are not trying stifle these organisations. Such accusations are simply untrue," he said.

When asked to comment if the registration conditions under the Societies Act were too strict, he said, "I don't think we should debate this anymore".

Uniform Syariah laws

Earlier, while speaking to a packed hall in Ikim, Rais told participants of the seminar that Syariah laws needs to be uniformed at both state and federal levels.

"Without uniformity of power and procedures of legal norms, the Syariah Courts may be exposed to the scorn of the people," Rais said, adding that there needs to be more training for and awareness among authorities concerned.

Rais also highlighted the contradictions between Islam-based Syariah laws and the more secular Federal Constitution and the need to lessen friction between the two.

"On one aspect you have an individual who wants to opt out of his Muslim status on his own accord. Another aspect is that the practice does not allow this choice while Article 11 of the constitution does as it guarantees freedom of religion.

"Therefore between the more liberal Article 11 and the practice that makes it hard for the individual to choose his religion, friction would arise. A way out needs to be found," he said.