‘It’s not a BN strategy’

> Hishammuddin refutes claims EC’s redelineation plans are to help BN

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein denied yesterday that the proposed redelineation of electoral boundaries in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah by the Election Commission (EC) is a strategy by Barisan Nasional (BN).

“How is this a strategy by Barisan Nasional if even I as Umno vice-president don’t know what the EC is doing?”

Hishammuddin, who is Sembrong MP, said he will look into what the EC has planned and bring it to Parliament for debate.

“All the dissenting parties can debate it in Parliament,” he said after officiating at the ground-breaking ceremony of a housing project by Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera or Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT) in Bukit Jalil.

In JOHOR BARU, Gelang Patah MCA division deputy chairman Tan Ba Ba said the electoral redelineation is expected to see about 13,000 voters removed from the Gelang Patah parliamentary constituency to Kulai.

He said the redelineation would involve five polling districts, namely Sri Pulai, Ulu Choh, Bandar Ulu Choh, Teratai and Pulai.

“The EC should reconsider maintaining the boundary seats as we (Barisan Nasional and MCA) have been focusing fully on these polling districts all this while,” he said.

In IPOH, Perak DAP said Pakatan Harapan could lose two state seats – Changkat Jering and Sungai Rapat – in the forthcoming general election if the proposed redelineation goes through.

State DAP secretary Wong Kah Woh, who is also Canning state assemblyman, said a large number of voters would be removed from the two constituencies, which could lead to victories for BN.

In PENANG, the state government has said it will file an objection before Oct 14 (when the inspection period for the proposed redelineation exercise ends).

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who is DAP secretary-general, said the redelineation would affect two state seats, namely Paya Terubong and Air Putih, the latter held by him.

“The redelineation increases voters in Paya Terubong to 41,000 while my constituency is reduced to 12,000 voters,” he said.

Meanwhile, electoral watchdog Bersih 2.0 has called on voters to object the redelineation proposals, claiming the EC has created further malapportioned seats.

“The EC has failed to abide by its duty to the Constitution by failing to correct malapportionment in the latest redelineation exercise. They have also committed active violations like gerrymandering and negligence with this exercise,” its steering committee member Dr Wong Chin Huat told reporters at a press conference here.

On the coming general election, Parti Amanah Negara communications director Khalid Samad said PAS’ non-committal stance would be a problem in predicting the outcome of an election for Pakatan Rakyat.

“We would surely win if we were a strong coalition of PAS, PKR and DAP but it is hard to say now, as PAS may become a spoiler,” he told reporters at Amanah headquarters here.