Tengku Adnan: BN not satisfied with 30 per cent of proposed redelineation

0

PUTRAJAYA: Barisan Nasional does not agree with 30 per cent of the proposed redelineation of electoral boundaries by the Election Commission, said BN Secretary-General Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.

Tengku Adnan, who is also Umno Secretary-General, said among the factors were voter-distribution that was too race-based, distance of the electoral boundaries that were way too far as well as polling centres removed from parliamentary constituencies.

He gave as an example the proposed redelineation exercise in Sabah which had caused much dissatisfaction among BN component parties as the proposed 10 new seats were only represented by certain races.

He said all BN component parties’ secretary-general had submitted their respective feedback on the proposed redelineation exercise to him.

“I’ve given my views and advice on what they need to do regarding the matter,” the Federal Territories Minister told reporters when met after opening a food and beverages kiosk at Precint 9, here, yesterday.

He said letters had also been sent out to all state BN chairmen to remind them that Umno and BN headquarters could not directly convey their objections to the EC, as this could only be done by the state governments, local authorities, or via petitions by at least 100 voters in the affected areas.

As for states which are not under BN, Tengku Adnan said he had suggested the state BN chairman gather 100 voters from each affected area who are against the proposed redelineation to sign petitions and present them to the EC.

Prior to this, EC secretary-general Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh had announced a redelineation exercise for parliamentary and state seats in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah.

He said the exercise was being done according to Clause (2) Article 113 of the Federal Constitution and the Clause (2) Article 14 of the Sabah State Constitution.

All parties have been given until this Friday to submit their feedback or objections. — Bernama