REDELINEATION PROPOSAL TO BE TABLED IN DEWAN RAKYAT TOMORROW
Motion has been listed for first reading in Dewan Rakyat, says source
THE motion to propose a redelineation exercise by the Election Commission (EC) is expected to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat tomorrow.
A source from the commission told the New Straits Times Press that the motion, up to now, has been listed for first reading on the last day of this week’s parliamentary session.
The source said the house would then schedule a debate on the motion, which could take place the earliest on Monday.
“The motion is listed to be read on March 22. That is the latest update.
“The house will then decide when the debate will take place.”
It is unclear who will table the motion, although it was Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak who had tabled the Sarawak redelineation proposal by EC in 2015.
The source said tomorrow’s tabling was expected to be a fullhouse affair and the passing of the motion would only need a simple majority of 111 votes by lawmakers.
“A two-day notice will be issued prior to the debate, and not the tabling of the motion,” the source said.
Earlier this month, the EC submitted its final report to Najib on the proposal to redelineate electoral boundaries of state and parliamentary constituencies.
EC chairman Tan Sri Mohd Hashim Abdullah said the exercise was provided under Article 113 (10) of the Federal Constitution.
It is learnt that the tabling of the latest motion was delayed by 15 court cases filed by various parties which were against the proposal.
On Feb 19, the Federal Court dismissed the application by several parties to initiate judicial review against the exercise in Perak and Melaka.
Hashim, in an immediate response, had said the decision proved EC had fulfilled all the principles and requirements as contained in the Federal Constitution.
The latest motion, if passed, would see the seventh redelineation implemented by EC.
Another source said the Dewan Negara, which would convene from March 26 to April 5 concurrently with Dewan Rakyat, would serve to see through the passing of an additional RM7.12 billion for expenditure under the 2017 Budget.
On Monday, Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani tabled the Supplementary Supply (2017) Bill 2018 for its first reading in Parliament.
Several quarters had claimed that the Dewan Negara would have the final say on the delineation.
Several lawmakers said it was possible for the motion to be tabled tomorrow, but the debate could possibly be held towards the end of the parliamentary session.
However, a source from Barisan Nasional claimed that the motion was expected to be tabled next week, although the exact date remained unclear.
“We (BN lawmakers) expect the motion to be tabled by next week and debated at the end of the (parliament) session.”
Datuk Mahfuz Omar (PANPokok Sena) said it was likely that the motion would be tabled on Thursday but doubted that it would be debated immediately.
“I believe that it would be tabled during the last week of the parliamentary session. This is because the supplementary budget would take priority to be approved by the Dewan Negara.”
Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin (PKR-Bukit Katil), however, said the debate would take place shortly after the tabling of motion.
“It is likely to be debated on Monday and approved by the next day.”
Nevertheless, Shamsul had reservations on whether the motion could be debated following the ongoing application by the Penang government for leave to appeal against the redelineation exercise.
Malaysia has 222 parliamentary and 587 state seats.