EC dismisses favouritism in redelineation of electoral boundaries

The Election Commission today dismissed allegations that the redelineation of electoral boundaries in peninsular Malaysia and Sabah favoured certain quarters.

EC chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Hashim Abdullah said today the EC discharged its duties and responsibilities as provided for in the Federal Constitution.

The authority to approve the EC recommendations rested with the Dewan Rakyat and the MPs could debate the matter in the august house, he said in a statement.

Mohd Hashim said the EC would not respond to the allegations on its recommendations because they were just that - recommendations.

The recommendations, which were being displayed to obtain feedback from the public, were not final as they were subject to local inquiry to evaluate objections and representations and they must have the approval of the Dewan Rakyat, he said.

The EC had conducted a redelineation of parliamentary and state electoral boundaries in peninsular Malaysia and Sabah beginning Sept 15.

Mohd Hashim said anyone legally eligible to make objections and representations should do so within the stipulated period and not just hurl accusations at the EC.

"The EC most welcomes objections and representations, but they have to be submitted officially according to the established legal channels," he said.

In PUTRAJAYA, Selangor UMNO Liaison Committee chairman Tan Sri Noh Omar criticised opposition political parties for what he said was their lack of understanding of the redelineation process and hurled accusations at the government instead.

He said UMNO was also unhappy with some of the EC recommendations because they would reduce the number of Malay voters in several Malay-majority constituencies in Selangor.

He said UMNO had contested the Ampang parliamentary seat and the two state seats of Lembah Jaya and Bukit Antarabangsa within it but with the redelineation "I feel UMNO may not get to contest the three seats in Ampang".

Noh, who is the Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government Minister, was asked to comment on a proposed opposition intention to call for snap polls in Selangor following the recommendations on the redelineation of electoral boundaries.

DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang had reportedly asked Selangor to call for snap elections because of what he claimed was a deliberate change of the electoral map in the state.

UMNO secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor reportedly said yesterday that the party would discuss the redelineation at its Supreme Council meeting on Sept 30.