A group of 104 registered Bidayuh voters, led by a former Bau-Lundu (now Mas Gading) MP Patrick Anek Uren, have written to the Election Commission (EC) voicing their objections on the way some Bidayuh voting precincts have been reshuffled among four state constituencies, including a proposed new one Opar, in the latest re-delineation exercise in Sarawak.

Under the re-delineation exercise announced by the EC last month, a 100 per cent Bidayuh state seat Opar adjacent to Tanjung Datu is being created with a 10,185-strong electorate.

Rather than putting "all the eggs in one basket", Anek, the group spokesman and a former parliamentary secretary, told malaysiakini today that they had proposed to the EC the two polling districts of Sebiris and Jangkar with total registered voters of 2,546 in Opar to be transferred back to Tanjung Datu.

At the same time, they proposed that the polling district of Sempadi with 1,036 registered voters that had been included in Tanjung Datu be transferred instead to Opar.

With this re-adjustment, Opar will have 9,544 registered voters instead of 10,185 as proposed by the EC and the existing Tanjung Datu with 10,349 instead of 8,090 registered voters.

Tanjung Datu, Opar and Tasik Biru are the three state seats within the Mas Gading parliamentary constituency, largely regarded as Bidayuh/Dayak Selako territory.

However, with the creation of Opar and the re-distribution of some of the polling districts, Tanjung Datu will become a Malay/Muslim majority seat.

Rights to elected representation

The Bidayuh generally are concerned that they are going to lose the rights to elected representation to Tanjung Datu, although a new Bidayuh seat (Opar) is being created for them.

Following the re-delineation exercise in which eight new state seats and three parliamentary seats are being created, the number of Bidayuh majority state seats remain at seven Opar, Tasik Biru, Bengoh, Tarat, Tebedu, Kedup and Balai Ringin.

Anek said the group also proposed that two polling districts Krokong and Serumbu with a total 3,281 registered voters in the Bidayuh majority state seat of Bengoh be transferred back to Tasik Biru on the ground that "these voters are more familiar with Bau town and speak the Bau/Jagoi dialect."

Krokong and Serumbu had been excised out of Tasik Biru in the previous re-delineation exercise, according to Sarawak Reform Party (Star) president Dr Patau Rubis to deny him the vital support from his two traditional strongholds in Tasik Biru.

If the two polling districts are returned to Tasik Biru, that will bring the total number of the electorate in Bengoh down to below 20,000. Anek described the present Bengoh's electorate of 20,267 as much 'too large' for a single rural constituency.

Bidayuh voters make up about 52 per cent of the voters in Bengoh with the rest largely Chinese and other groups.

Practicalities of administration

Anek said the changes that his group was proposing to the EC had taken into account the practicalities of administration through adjustment of the boundaries and also to ensure that the Bidayuh community were properly represented in all these constituencies.

The Election Commission gave all parties and individuals one month to raise their objections and make counter-proposals following the announcement of its proposal to create the eight new state and three parliamentary seats.

The last day for making such submissions was yesterday, Feb 18.

It is understood that all political parties and several groups of registered voters had written in with their objections and counter proposals.

In the past, the EC has made further changes following representation from political parties and groups of voters, but it is not anticipated that there will be any drastic departure from the EC's proposals.

The latest re-delineation exercise will see state assembly seats increased from 62 to 70 and parliamentary seats from 28 to 31.