Gerakan to focus on four states

Party’s objection to redelineation will target its affected seats

KUALA LUMPUR: Selangor, Malacca, Pahang and Perak will be given “extra focus” when Gerakan files its objection to the Election Commission (EC) over its proposed redelineation exercise.

Its president Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong said among the seats that the party would file its objections to were the Teratai, Bukit Gasing, Bukit Lanchang, Kota Alam Shah state seats as well as the Puchong parliamentary seat in Selangor; Bachang state seat in Malacca; Ketari state seat in Pahang and the Beruas parliamentary seat in Perak.

“Many of the seats that we contested are affected,” he said, citing Beruas as the main case where the number of voters was increased by 50%.

“We will do the necessary and file the objections within the time period,” he told a press conference after meeting with the party’s state chairmen yesterday.

The EC will hold a local inquiry after Oct 14 to hear objections against its proposals.

The commission has proposed to alter the electoral boundaries of some parliamentary and state seats nationwide except in Perlis, Labuan and Putrajaya.

Twelve parliamentary and 34 state seats in the peninsula may have a name change while 13 new state seats have been proposed for Sabah.

Mah, who said the party intended to contest 45 parliamentary and state seats at the next general election, will meet voters in each of the constituencies to gather feedback.

“We have put so much effort in those seats and the exercise will have an impact on us,” he said.

On a separate matter, Mah said that government matters should always be given priority ahead of any Private Member’s Bill in Parliament.

“We feel that there are many other Government Bills that need to be given priority over PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s Private Member’s Bill,” he said.

In May, Abdul Hadi’s Bill was listed at number 15, the last item on the Standing Order behind other Government Bills.

However, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said moved to push Abdul Hadi’s Bill up the list.

Abdul Hadi is expected to re-table the Bill at the Dewan Rakyat next month.

Many of the seats that we contested are affected. Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong