EC under fire for political ploy in allocating seats

comments     Yap Mun Ching     Published     Updated

PAS today criticised the Election Commission's (EC) proposed allocation of parliamentary and state seats as being "lop-sided", while other opposition parties offered mixed reactions to the recommended redistribution of seats.

PAS vice-president Mustafa Ali said the party was informed beforehand that there would be no increase in parliamentary seats in both Kelantan and Terengganu.

"The increase in two state seats for Kelantan is just to put the constituencies according to their administrative districts," said Mustafa in a telephone interview.

DAP acting secretary-general Chong Eng said party leaders still needed time to study the recommendations, but were suspicious of the reasons for a substantial increase in the seat allocation in certain states.

"Johor and Sabah, which are coincidentally Barisan Nasional strongholds, have large increases in seats. However, we also see an increase in Selangor, so we need to get more details," Chong told malaysiakini .

Redelineation exercise

Election Commission chairperson Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman today announced recommendations for the redelineation of constituencies in Peninsular Malaysia states and Sabah.

Of the 25 new parliamentary seats proposed, the highest allocation was to Johor (six seats) while Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu did not receive any new seats.

Correspondingly, of the 59 new state seats that were proposed, the highest number went to Johor (14 seats), while Perlis, Kedah and Terengganu again had none allocated.

Abdul Rashid said the commission's recommendations were based on population size, development level and changes in the economic sector in each area.

He dismissed claims by opposition parties that the recommendations were skewed in favour of the ruling coalition saying, "If anything, we are not fair to Selangor."

Abdul Rashid pointed out that Selangor and Johor were considered for additional seats because of the large population size, at 1,324,269 and 1,180,648 voters respectively.

"The national average of voters for each parliamentary seat is 50,000. Kelantan has 45,000 voters, which is below the national average. Kelantan was 'over-supplied' in the past," he said.

Abdul Rashid added that the EC survey team found no significant growth or economic development in Kelantan to justify any increase in parliamentary seats.

"Some 250,000 persons moved out of the state to look for jobs outside because there are no jobs within. This move could be permanent. [Kelantan] may be losing population instead of gaining. This is the same in Terengganu," he explained.

Reasons questioned

However, PAS' Mustafa said these could not have been the only reasons behind the decision not to recommend additional seats in Kelantan and Terengganu.

"Was there a substantial increase (in population) in Sabah? We think the considerations were more political," he said.

Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) president Dr Syed Husin Ali also criticised the EC's proposals as being merely an exercise to ensure that the Barisan Nasional can continue to be in power.

"If it is based on population, why is there such a large increase in seats for Sabah in contrast to Selangor and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur?

"If it is on demographic patterns, why do Sabah and Johor get around half of the (new) seats while Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah get nothing ?"

Counter-proposals

Abdul Rashid said affected parties unhappy with the recommendations should submit a counter-proposal to the EC within 30 days.

"Don't sent us objection letters without sending in a counter-proposal. Don't send us general letters giving long lectures on politics and how the country should be run. We will not entertain such letters," he cautioned.

He added that those qualified to make counter-proposals include state and local governments of affected areas as well as registered voters and groups affected by the proposed changes.

"If there are more than 100 registered voters represented for one counter-proposal, we will hold a local inquiry in the area. The persons must be present to give their objections during the inquiry," he said.

Abdul Rashid also said the commission expects to complete any such inquiries by mid-December, after which, a report will be compiled.

"We are not confident of completion by December but the latest [will be] by March [next year]. We think it can be completed before the next general election," he added.

The EC's recommendations, if passed by Parliament, will increase the number of parliamentary seats from 194 to 219 and state seats from 504 to 563 by the next general election.

The Federal Constitution provides for a redelineation exercise to be carried out by the EC every eight years. The last review for Peninsular states and Sabah was done in 1994 while Sarawak was last assessed in 1996.



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