Malaysian opposition angered by poll rules on behaviour

Malaysia's opposition leaders have been irked by a proposal from electoral authorities that requires candidates to sign a 'good behaviour' pledge not to whip up emotions or make false accusations against opponents while campaigning.

Under the proposal, to be tabled in parliament next month, all candidates must sign a document that will set out the new rules before they qualify.

Candidates who contravene the rules - which also include penalties for indecent behaviour - will be disqualified on the spot.

The commission also plans to set up special squads consisting of election officials and police travelling together in 'rapid response four-wheel-drive vehicles' with recording equipment to monitor electioneering in every constituency.

'We need to ensure candidates and their supporters are held accountable for their actions,' Election Commission secretary Wan Ahmad Wan Omar said.

'The special squad will take on-the-spot action when the rules are flouted.'

He said the commission's top priority was to conduct an 'incident-free' election.

The ruling National Front government demanded a tightening of the election rules after an emotion-packed by-election it lost last July. During the campaign, the opposition attacked alleged government corruption.

The government accused the opposition of unfairly whipping up emotions, making false accusations and behaving indecently.

The government was embarrassed when an opposition politician lifted his sarong and showed his genitals to women campaigners of the ruling party - a traditional gesture of protest that observers said had influenced voters against the government.

Opposition leaders, however, say the new rules will further stifle electioneering that is already heavily factored against them.

'This proposal is truly ridiculous and exceeds the commission's constitutional mandate to conduct free and fair elections,' said Lim Kit Siang, chairman of the Democratic Action Party.

'Something is very wrong with them.'

Mr Lim urged the commission to address the fundamental issue - unfair elections.

The commission has invited opposition leaders for a meeting this week to discuss the new rules, but the opposition lawmakers will press the commission at the meeting to resolve what they call the '3M tyranny' of media, money and machinery that the government deploys with devastating effect during elections.

They also want the commission to clean up the electoral roles of 2.8 million 'travelling voters'.

These are bona fide voters who are re-registered en masse before every election and moved to narrowly contested constituencies on voting day to tip the balance in favour of their masters.

The Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, is due to retire in October.

Analysts say elections could be held soon afterwards.