KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 ― Only Sarawak voters can stop the Election Commission (EC)'s proposed redelineation of the state borders by submitting formal objection forms before the deadline on February 4, polls watchdog Bersih 2.0 said today.
In a statement here, Bersih 2.0 pointed out that all voters had to was to download the objection form and get at least 100 other registered voters to sign the form before submitting it.
“The power to stop unabated malapportionment in Sarawak by the EC is in the hands of voters in the state. Bersih 2.0 has no locus standi to submit any objections to the EC ― and the EC has also rejected engagement with us.
“What Bersih 2.0 can do is to point voters to the serious flaws in the EC’s proposed redelineation, and urge Sarawak voters in the constituencies mentioned to take action as per their constitutional right,” the statement said, adding that the redelineation exercise may affect the outcomes of the next two general elections.
Bersih 2.0 identified 15 state seats in Sarawak as having “grossly deviated” from the average size of 13,526 voters per state.
The figure was obtained by dividing the total number of voters in Sarawak (1,109,134), with the total number of state seats (82).
Among some of the state seats identified by Bersih are Pelawan (31,388 voters), Pending (30,881 voters) and Bukit Asek (28,908 voters).
The polls group also identified eight parliamentary constituencies- which include Bandar Kuching, Miri and Sibu as having excessive number of registered voters compared to the state average of 35,779 voters per parliamentary constituency.
This figure was obtained dividing the total number of voters in the state with the total number of parliamentary seats (31).
Yesterday, Sarawak PKR filed a judicial review of the EC's proposed redelineation of the state borders, claiming it does not comply with the provisions stated in the country’s highest law.
The opposition party wants the court to declare the proposed state boundary redrawing exercise as unconstitutional.
State PKR vice-chairman See Chee How is one of the two applicants for the judicial review, together with party member from Ulu Baram, Paul Baya. They named the EC’s chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Yusof as the sole respondent.
According to the Batu Lintang state lawmaker, the Thirteenth Schedule of the Federal Constitution requires the EC to disclose fully its proposed recommendations in the affected state constituencies, and how such recommendations will affect the voters.
See also claimed the EC had failed to disseminate widely news of its proposed redelineation exercise to voters as required by the provisions in the Thirteenth Schedule, saying few of the affected voters were aware of this.
The redelineation exercise would increase the number of seats in the Sarawak state legislative assembly from 71 currently, to 82.
The proposed state areas are N.13 Batu Kitang; N.17 Stakan; N.18 Serembu; N.23 Triboh; N.26 Gedong; N.40 Kabong; N.57 Telian; N.63 Selirik; N.66 Murum; N.70 Samalaju; and, N.78 Long Lama.
