Proposed 13 more state seats will give Sabah BN better reach
The Election Commission has listed the proposed new seats Thursday, which can be viewed until Oct 14 at post offices and district offices.
The proposed 13 more state seats in Sabah will give the Barisan Nasional (BN) better reach to the people should they win all the seats in the next general election.
Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah said the seats proposed consisted of areas that required more attention and urged BN component parties to improve their services to the people.
"It is very important for us to basically say that they (13 seats) were not drawn just by looking at the race composition," said the Gerakan vice-president and Tanjong Papat assemblyman.
The Election Commission (EC) listed the proposed new seats Thursday, which could be viewed until Oct 14 at post offices and district offices.
The seats are N.02 Bengkoka, N.06 Mangaris, N.08 Pintasan, N.13 Pantai Dalit, N.17 Darau, N.24 Tanjung Dumpil, N.27 Dambai, N.44 Tulid, N.47 Telupid, N.51 Sungai Manila, N.58 Lamag, N.61 Segama and N.70 Kukusan.
The addition of 13 seats approved by the State Legislative Assembly in August would result in a total of 73 state seats in Sabah.
Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said the proposed seats were conservative addition and a good indication of the population increase.
He said although the proposed seats did not include areas in Ranau parliamentary constituency, where he is the state assemblyman for Karanaan, the addition of 13 seats would provide better service to the people in Sabah.
Special Functions Minister Datuk Teo Chee Kang, who is also Tanjong Kapor assemblyman, welcomed the addition of new seats, especially in Kudat parliamentary constituency, which includes the proposed Bengkoka seat.
However, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president said he has yet to examine the proposal, including the composition of voters in the new seats.
"We will examine and review within one month as stated by the EC notice. If there are suggestions, we will submit them," he added.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Madius Tangau, who is also Tuaran MP, was thankful for one more seat in the constituency, namely Pantai Dalit.
The UPKO acting president said that he would also use the one month to examine related matters.
"The UPKO stand is that the new seats should be distributed fairly among the component parties in Sabah and that no component party should get more than half of the total seats created." -- Bernama
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