PARLIAMENT | The Election Commission (EC) will continue functioning with its current administrative structure, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Azalina Othman Said.

She was responding to Ipoh Barat lawmaker M Kulasegaran who had asked the prime minister to state whether the government was ready to change the EC as an independent body that will report straight to Parliament.

Azalina, however, said that the EC's independence was already provided for by the law as its formation was made under the federal constitution.

She cited Article 114 of the constitution which states that EC members shall be appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong after consultation with the Conference of Rulers and Article 114(2), which clearly states the importance of an EC which enjoys public confidence.

Pointing out that the EC was responsible for conducting the redelineation process and conducting elections, among others, Azalina said the EC was of the view that the current administrative structure was still relevant.

The EC currently falls under the purview of the Prime Minister's Department.

The constitution does not explicitly state that the commission is independent of government influence but constitutional law experts have argued the constitution as intending to protect the EC's independence.

Meanwhile, to a question posed by Batu Kawan MP P Kasthuriraani who asked on the number of Malaysians who have yet to register as voters, Azalina said 3,772,149 Malaysians above the age of 21 have yet to do so as of March 31, 2017.

Azalina also confirmed that the EC has received 1,454 objections on new voters between January to March this year.