Bersih targets 100,000 objectors to beat EC redelineation

PETALING JAYA: Electoral watchdog Bersih 2.0 (Bersih) is targeting 100,000-strong Selangor voters to sign up as objectors to defeat the Election Commission's (EC) controversial redelineation.
Bersih chairman Maria Chin Abdullah said the group was concerned with the Second Display of the redelineation boundaries in Selangor released by the EC last Monday, which had reverted roughly to the same boundaries used in 2013.
She said the Selangor's state and parliament boundaries in 2013 were not exempted from malapprotionment and gerrymandering.
"We are calling concerned voters to sign up as objectors to the Second Display of the proposed redelineation boundaries in Selangor with immediate urgency," she said.
"Bersih's call for the 100,000 objectors is a show of rakyat's protest against the continuation of unconstitutional redelineation," she told a press conference at Bersih headquarters at 8 Avenue Business Centre.
A valid objection to the proposed redelineation must be represented by a spokesperson, accompanied by 100 signatures or more to endorse the objection.
Selangor currently has a total of 22 parliament seats and 56 state seats.
Maria said Bersih has identified 12 locations within Selangor that will act as objection collection centres, which can be found at dart.bersih.org/pusatbantahan.
She added that the last day to submit the objections was on Feb 14, after which the EC will launch inquiries to discuss the concerns stated in the objection.
"The final report will then be sent to the Prime Minister who will then table it in Parliament for adoption," she added.
Meanwhile, Penang Institute's Wong Chin Huat said there was a risk that the Selangor government might fall to Barisan Nasional under the proposed redelineation.
He added that the risk was even greater when coupled with other factors, such as low voter turnout and multi-cornered fights.
"It is possible that Selangor may change hands (in the next General Election). The risk is always there," he said.
Wong said he foresees that under such conditions, the ruling coalition might receive an additional 15 parliament seats to regain the two-thirds majority in Dewan Rakyat.
"This will give them a free hand to add seats and trigger another round of delineation," he added.