Redelineation exercise by EC according to law: Azalina

KUALA LUMPUR: The Election Commission's (EC) redelineation exercise for parliamentary and state constituencies in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah is being implemented in accordance with the law.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (pix) said the redelineation exercise was based on the principles and procedures set under the authority of the EC, as provided in Article 113 and 13th Schedule of the Federal Constitution.

"Based on the provisions stipulated in the Federal Constitution, the delineation of electoral boundaries includes facilitating voters going out to vote during the elections and without crossing over a state's electoral boundaries."

She said this in reply to a question from Datuk Seri Irmohizam Ibrahim (BN-Kuala Selangor) during the Minister's Question Time (MQT) session in the Dewan Rakyat, here, today.

Azalina said the delineation principle also took into consideration the administration of the voting process, such as setting up of the election machinery for registration and casting of votes.
She said the redelineation exercise was on and should continue, as provided under the 13th Schedule of the Federal Constitution and should be completed within two years.
To a supplementary question from Irmohizam on claims that the redelineation exercise was politically motivated and that the EC has become a tool of the Barisan Nasional to implement it, Azalina refuted this.

"Throughout the one-month display and objection period ending Oct 14, the EC received 836 redelineation objections from all quarters including state governments and political parties.

"If the move is seen as advantageous to the government, surely there would be no objections from the ruling parties and state governments," she said.

The EC is carrying out the redelineation exercise for parliamentary and state constituencies in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah in accordance with Clause (2), Article 113 of the Federal Constitution and amendments to Clause (2), Article 14 of the Sabah State Constitution which was gazetted on Aug 18, 2016. — Bernama