KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 — The Election Commission (EC) will recommend new laws in a bid to rid the electoral roll of suspect entries, Datuk Wira Wan Ahmad Wan Omar said today, in apparent concession to polls watchdog Bersih.

Speaking at the annual Malaysian Student Leaders Summit here today, the deputy EC chairman said the basis for such laws had already been formed in a workshop organised by commission last week.

“We will be proposing the new registration law to Parliament before the next general election,” he was quoted as saying by The Star on its website today.

“We will be relying on reliable agencies such as the National Registration Department (NRD), Defence Ministry and police.”

It was unclear, however, just how far ahead of the general election this is set to take place.

Last month, Bersih warned that it will hold another street protest — the fourth in its history — if the EC proceeds with the redrawing of constituency lines at the end of the year without addressing allegations of phantom voters on the electoral roll.

The removal of suspect voters from the master list is one of the eight key demands made by the electoral watchdog since 2011, most of which remain unfulfilled.

Today, Wan Ahmad acknowledged the group’s demands but said his commission was obligated to carry out the exercise in a timely manner, despite the absence of a legal timeline for it to meet.

“Although the Constitution only says that the exercise should be done every eight years without specifying the maximum years, we still have the responsibility to do it within the stipulated time,” he added.

Bersih and opposition lawmakers had, prior to Election 2013, made repeated complaints about the discrepancies in the voter roll, ranging from tens of people registered to a single address to unusual increases in marginal constituencies.

The group held its first rally in November 2007 that was partly credited, along with HINDRAF rally in the same year, with the electoral losses suffered by Barisan Nasional in Election 2008.

The second was conducted in July 2011, and saw the streets of KL descend into chaos after police shut down the city before firing tear gas and water cannons in open clashes with protestors; some 1,600 arrests were made in total.

A third sit-in rally in April 2012 began peacefully but also became chaotic after riot police reacted to the breach of a police cordon around Dataran Merdeka, again firing tear gas and water cannons at demonstrators.