The Pakatan Harapan secretariat today proposed that the Penang and Selangor state governments as a whole should file an objection against the Election Commission's ongoing redelineation exercise.

Harapan chief secretary Saifuddin Abdullah told a press conference at PKR's headquarters that the proposal would be one of 10 meeting outcomes to be forwarded to the coalition's presidential council.

"Because as per the Federal Constitution, state governments can object to the (redelineation) exercise," said Saifuddin. ‎

He added that the secretariat will also propose for local councils to similarly file objections against the exercise.

This is on top of individual objections to be filed by all Harapan lawmakers in their respective constituencies, he said.

"All Harapan parties will file objections in constituencies that we will coordinate among ourselves.

"Maybe in some areas there could even be more than one party (filing an objection)," he said.

All Harapan lawmakers have also been instructed to write to the EC and request for a map of their constituency, to assist voters in filing an objection.

Aside from coordination among Harapan parties, Saifuddin said they are also working together with NGOs Tindak Malaysia and Bersih, as well as the Bar Council.

Amanah communications director Khalid Samad, meanwhile, urged the EC to prove its independence and carry out the redelineation exercise in a manner that respects the people's rights to free and fair elections.

"If the EC continues to act like a body that helps to ensure BN's victory, then they have betrayed the people's trust," the Shah Alam MP said.

Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin, meanwhile, claimed that the EC had betrayed the consensus it had reached in 2012 together with then Pakatan Rakyat federal opposition and BN, as part of a Parliamentary Select Committee on electoral reform.

Among others, Sim said the EC had agreed to consider the formation of an independent Boundaries Commission to take over the redelineation exercise.

"There were specific recommendations on electoral reforms and today we see that the EC had gone against the recommendations.

"We see this is an insult to the Parliament," he said.

Other proposals raised during the meeting include pledging support for PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli's reported plan to file a Private Member's Bill on setting up an independent body, as well as PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar's proposal to petition the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.