The Election Commission (EC) is studying a proposal that individuals wanting to become elected representatives be required to have at least a credit in Bahasa Melayu in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.

EC chairperson Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said the suitability of the proposal must be studied.

"Under the Federal Constitution and EC regulations, there are no requirements for election candidates to have a credit in Bahasa Malaysia," he told Bernama via a text message on Sunday.

Aziz was commenting on a proposal by Mohd Ridhuan Tee Abdullah recently that the EC should require people wanting to become elected representatives, whether at the parliamentary or state levels, to have at least a credit in Bahasa Malaysia in their SPM results.  

On Wednesday, the Social and Cultural Affairs adviser to the government, Rais Yatim, was reported as saying the suggestion should be supported as every leader in the country should be able to speak Bahasa Malaysia well.

- Bernama