EC to carry out review of redelineation exercise

The Election Commission (EC) will carry out a review of the redelineation of electoral boundaries for parliamentary and state seats in the peninsula and Sabah beginning Thursday.

EC secretary Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh said the review would be conducted based on the provisions of Clause (2) Article 113 of the Federal Constitution and amendments to Clause (2) Article 14 of the Sabah State Constitution, which was gazetted on Aug 18.

He said that the EC would propose that there be no changes in the number of parliamentary and state seats in the peninsula.

"However, certain parliamentary and state constituencies will undergo name changes and amendments," he said in a statement here yesterday.

In the case of Sabah, Abdul Ghani said the EC proposed the number of state constituencies be increased by 13 from the current 60, bringing the total to 73, with certain seats to undergo name changes and amendments to their existing electoral boundaries.

Full details of the proposed recommendations, as well as all the federal and state constituencies within Peninsula Malaysia and Sabah, would be stated in the redelineation notice, which would be put on display at specified locations for one month from Thursday (Sept 15) to Oct 14.

"It will also be published in the local newspapers this Thursday for the purpose of checking and objection action," he said.

Abdul Ghani said objections to the recommendations, however, could only be made by the state government, local authorities in partly or partially included in the redelineation exercise, or a group of no less than 100 registered voters of a affected constituency. "All objection must be submitted in writing and addressed to the state election director before Oct 14," he added.