Awang Azman pointed out that the decision to divide any seat must be on the basis of fairness and equality, and not because of political considerations.
KUCHING (Feb 17): The best criteria in considering the redelineation of political boundaries should be ethnicity, geography and socio-economy, opined Assoc Prof Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi.
This, said the senior Research Fellow of University Malaya Centre for Democracy and Elections (Umcedel), would ensure a fair representation of the people and political stability.
“The priority of stakeholders or those with interest should encompass the needs of the people, equality and economic stability,” he told The Borneo Post when asked about talks on the next redelineation exercise in Sarawak, which is about to become overdue.
“The balance of these factors is imperative to gain the support of the people and ensure the improvement of national building,” he added.
Awang Azman pointed out that the decision to divide any seat must be on the basis of fairness and equality, and not because of political considerations.
The academician was also asked if the government of the day could be ‘picky’ on which current constituency needed to be carved out or divided.
Ideally, political factors should not be entertained in the redelineation exercise, said Awang Azman.
“Population growth and effective representation are factors that have to be given attention to, regardless of the fact that the constituency is either a DAP (Democratic Action Party) stronghold like Stampin or a Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS)-held area,” he said.
On Feb 12 this year, Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg told reporters in Miri that GPS would be engaging with political parties before sending a proposal to the Election Commission (EC).
Earlier on Jan 1, EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Salleh told reporters in Kuala Lumpur that the last redelineation exercise in Sarawak was in 2015, 2017 in Sabah, and 2018 in Peninsular Malaysia, and there was no plan to carry out the next one yet for Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia because the eight-year interval period was still on-going.
As for Sarawak, Abdul Ghani said the commission was considering and evaluating the suitability of conducting such an exercise.
Any redelineation proposal would only commence upon notification to the Speaker of Parliament and the Prime Minister by the EC and a notice published as provided under Part II, Section 4, Thirteenth Schedule of the Federal Constitution, he stressed.
He added that under Article 113 of the Federal Constitution, the EC shall, from time to time, as they deem necessary, review the division of the Federation and the States into constituencies based on principles and procedures established by the Federal Constitution.
The principles include facilitating all voters to cast their votes during the election, and that electoral boundaries do not cross state borders; taking into account administrative facilities available within the constituencies to establish necessary machinery for registration and polling.
“Also, the number of voters is more or less the same for each constituency in a state except when there are communication difficulties or other challenges faced by rural constituencies, during which the area of constituencies should be considered; and maintaining local ties,” he said.
On Nov 8 last year, Deputy Minister in Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) Ramkarpal Singh, told the Parliament that the redelineation of electoral boundaries had already begun in Sarawak, and the exercise would be carried out in Sabah in 2025, and the peninsula states in 2026.
He said the EC would conduct a study over a period of two years, and thereafter, a report on the findings would be presented to the Prime Minister, he added.