PARLIAMENT | The Federal Constitution gives the prime minister discretion whether or not to table a redelineation report, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told the Dewan Rakyat today.

He said this when asked by Warisan president Shafie Apdal why the Sabah redelineation report, which would have implemented the increase of Sabah state seats from 60 to 73, was not tabled in Parliament.

"The power to table the final report is subject to the prime minister's discretion, in line with Section 9 of the Thirteenth Schedule of the Federal Constitution.

"So what was done was in line with the constitution," Zahid said.

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Section 9 of the Thirteenth Schedule reads: "As soon as may be after the Election Commission have submitted their report to the prime minister under Section 8, he shall lay the report before the House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat), together - except in a case where the report states that no alteration is required to be made - with the draft of an order to be made under Section 12 for giving effect, with or without modifications, to the recommendations contained in the report."

Zahid said Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had received the final Election Commission report on Feb 21, 2017.

At a press conference in the Parliament media room later, Shafie (photo) disputed Zahid's explanation.

"The prime minister as the head of the executive, must – you have no option – table the EC report to Parliament.

"Unfortunately the voice of Sabahans have been rejected.

"Najib can't overrule the decision of the Sabah state assembly... it is an enactment, and no PM can abolish or delete an enactment decided by the state assembly," Shafie said.

The Sabah state assembly had in August 2016 approved a motion to increase the number of state seats from 60 to 73.

“To this end, the delineation exercise and increase of 13 new state constituencies are expected to be tabled in parliament simultaneously with the proposed delineation and increase of parliamentary constituencies upon completion of the study by the EC,” said Sabah state secretary Sukarti Wakiman.

Without tabling the redelineation exercise, however, it appears that the old boundaries and number of seats in Sabah may be used during the 14th general election.

Additional reporting by LU WEI HOONG

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