JOHOR BARU, Nov 9 — The Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition in Johor has agreed to support a government motion for a redelineation exercise in the 26 federal and 56 state seats, which is expected to be tabled in the next state assembly session.
Johor PH chief Aminolhuda Hassan said the redelineation exercise was raised when the coalition met Mentri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad to discuss the state's upcoming Budget 2022.
He said the boundary redrawing exercise is important as it meant an increase in younger voters since those aged 18 onwards will qualify to register from January 1 next year.
“Its implementation will see a large rise in the number of young eligible voters in most of the parliamentary constituencies, especially for the southern part of Johor.
“Due to the expected numbers, we have agreed to give focus on the matter,” Aminolhuda told a press conference at the Stulang DAP assemblyman’s service centre in Taman Maju Jaya here today.
Also present were Johor PKR deputy chief Jimmy Puah Wee Tse and DAP’s Stulang assemblyman Andrew Chen Kah Eng.
Aminolhuda, who is also the Parit Yaani assemblyman and Johor Parti Amanah Negara chief, said the matter needed urgent focus as at least five parliamentary areas in districts such as Johor Baru, Kulai and Kluang would see a major increase in new voters due to the Undi18 implementation.
He believes that the changes will see at least a near two-fold increase as the number of eligible voters from an average Johor state constituency has about 60,000 voters.
“The new figures of voters could jump to more than 100,000 following the Undi 18 initiative at one state seat in Johor, which is almost the same with number of voters for a parliamentary seat in Melaka,” he said.
Aminolhuda thinks it unlikely that the redelineation will be completed in time for the 15th general election, but said it will matter for future elections.
He explained that the redelineation exercise would help elected representatives understand the youth voters better and enable them to serve their constituency better.
He said the motion needs the support of two-thirds of assemblymen, so it can be raised in Parliament and forwarded to the Election Commission for implementation.
He said Johor PH have agreed to support the motion during the coming state assembly session scheduled for November 18.
“We are looking at the redelineation exercise for both parliamentary as well as state constituencies.
“If the redelineation exercise cannot be carried out for the parliamentary seats, we will then support for it to be implemented on the state constituencies,” said Aminolhuda.
On October 13, it was reported that the EC can only conduct a redelineation exercise for parliamentary seats in Peninsular Malaysia in the next five years.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said Article 113 of the Federal Constitution empowers the EC to conduct a redelineation exercise once every eight years from the last date of completion of the previous one,
