The government is not in favour of Election Commission's proposal to disqualify candidates from contesting in elections if they are found uttering seditious remarks, de facto Law Minister Dr Rais Yatim said.

The government is also against the EC proposal to ban individuals from voting should they commit similar offences.

He said such proposals involved constitutional matters and might not be "proper".

These suggestions are part of several proposals made by the EC to enable the commission to control the situation on the ground during the campaigning period in the run-up to polling day.

The EC is seeking more enforcement powers to ensure peaceful and smooth elections. This followed news reports of violence in the recently-concluded Pendang and Anak Bukit by-elections in Kedah.

"The government is concerned with the public reaction during election campaigns, especially with regards people taking matters into their own hands as was seen in Pendang," Rais told malaysiakini .

Rais said granting the EC with greater enforcement powers will enable it to take immediate action against any infringement of election laws, instead of waiting for police reports to be lodged later, which is the normal procedure.

Presently, only the police are empowered to do so.

Trouble-shooting

"The wider powers are purely to ensure public orderliness, decorum and that the Election Offences Act are complied with," he said.

For example, he said, if the EC officials are given wider powers, they can pull down offending placards or banners, or stop ceramahs (political rallies) immediately if they find seditious remarks made by candidates or any individuals.

He said that there should be a free flow of people moving in and out of the [election] area.

The EC has also proposed an Election Monitoring Unit comprising its officials, candidates, political party representatives and the police as a trouble-shooting and peacekeeping team during elections.

The proposal, to be incorporated together with other amendments to the election laws pending in Parliament in September, also requires parties to pay additional deposits to ensure the removal of posters, banners and other campaign material.

EC chairperson Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman had blamed certain parties for taking advantage of the police's restraint during the campaign period where vulgarities were hurled at him and other officials.

Rais will be chairing another meeting with the EC next week to thrash out the details of the proposals before briefing the cabinet during the weekly meeting the following Wednesday.