KUALA LUMPUR, March 21 — The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2022, which among others seeks to provide for the non-application of Article 119 to the Rulers in relation to voter registration, was tabled for first reading in the Dewan Rakyat today.

The bill to amend the Constitution (Amendment) Act 2019 seeks to add Article 119A stating that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, with the consent of the Conference of Rulers, can set an exception to any Ruler and his consort, any Yang Dipertua Negeri and his consort, any heir apparent, heir presumptive, and other heirs of a Ruler and their consorts from the application of Article 119 relating to the registration of voters.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin when tabling the bill today said a second reading would be tabled in this meeting.

The Constitution (Amendment) Act 2019, among others, requires a citizen who reaches the age of 18 and is eligible to vote to be automatically registered as a voter by the Election Commission.

The minimum voting age for Malaysians was lowered to 18 years from 21 previously, after the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2019 was passed by the Dewan Rakyat on July 16, 2019 and subsequently by the Dewan Negara on July 25, 2019.

Also tabled today was the first reading of the Control of Padi and Rice (Amendment) Bill 2022 to amend the Control of Padi and Rice Act 1994 (Act 522) which seeks to introduce a new section, Section 28A, to empower the Minister to prescribe, by regulations, compoundable offences, and the method and procedure for compounding an offence. 

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry I Datuk Seri Ahmad Hamzah, when tabling the Bill, said the second reading would also be tabled in this meeting. — Bernama