Extra seats not aimed to sell M’sia to foreigners
KOTA KINABALU: Barisan Nasional (BN) Strategic Communications Director Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan has hit out at Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Wanita chief Zuraida Kamarudin for claiming that the additional 13 seats introduced in Sabah would allow many phantom voters to cast their votes at the next general election.
The Kota Belud Member of Parliament said that the delineation exercise is something that is carried out every eight years as stipulated in the Federal Constitution.
“This is not ‘selling Malaysia to foreigners’ as claimed by Zuraida. The increase of seats is done according to the needs of the people. It is done to ensure that the people get the best service from the government,” Abdul Rahman said.
So if there is a need to delineate the electoral boundary of a constituency which has a high number of voters, the government will do it, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department stressed.
He pointed out that the delineation exercise was conducted throughout the country including opposition areas.
“Maybe Zuraida is of the opinion that the Constitution is fake,” he said, adding that there is a need for the delineation exercise.
“The problem with the opposition is that it is not a party that has the interest of all in its heart. To me, if a party is well liked, efforts will be made to make sure people understand about the party, its policy, halatuju and manifesto,” he opined.
Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Yahya Hussin has also criticised Zuraida for making that allegation.
Yahya, who is also Sabah Umno secretary, said the allegation was baseless and the Opposition party had no facts or evidence to back up their allegations of phantom voters.
“This is just a political accusation made by the Opposition. If it is true, then show evidence and take it to the court,” he said.
Zuraida had said that by introducing new seats, Barisan Nasional was indirectly selling Malaysia to foreigners who would be ‘bringing their Malaysian identification cards’ on polling day.
The new 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 13 new seats would bring the total number of state seats in Sabah to 73.