Redelineation motion expected next week

PETALING JAYA: The motion on the redelineation of electoral boundaries is expected to be tabled for first reading in Parliament next week.

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia has given consent for the motion to be tabled, sources told theSun.

The sources said there are high chances of Parliament being dissolved between March 26 and 29.

On Friday, the Election Commission (EC) completed its local inquiry into objections over the proposed redelineation of electoral boundaries for parliamentary and state constituencies.

EC chairman Tan Sri Mohd Hashim Abdullah in a statement said they have submitted the final report to the prime minister.

A check with the Dewan Rakyat Speaker’s office confirms that the redelineation bill will be tabled in parliament next week.

However, the actual date was not made available and attempts to get further verification were unsuccessful.

As of the fourth quarter of 2017, a total of 14,968,304 Malaysians have registered as voters and the EC is targeting about 85% turnout in the coming polls.

When asked, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said confirmed that the government will be bringing the motion any time soon.

“The redelineation motion will be tabled after Cabinet approval. It will be debated and voted for.

“Once passed, it does not need to be tabled to the Senate,” she told theSun.

Meanwhile, China Press reported yesterday there is a possibility that the government may move a motion on the redelineation proposals as early as March 19 and not later than March 26, to allow the dissolution of Parliament by the month’s end at the earliest.

Eight days have been allocated to debate the royal address during the Parliament meeting after which each relevant ministry would wind up the debate.

A source told the daily the tabling of the proposals would therefore most likely be on March 26. – by Manirajan Ramasamy