KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 — Lim Kit Siang suggested today that Pakatan Harapan consider holding snap elections in Selangor, claiming that the Election Commission’s (EC) constituency redelineation proposals have “butchered” the state’s map.
The DAP parliamentary leader said the current fifth constituency redelineation was making voter disparity in electoral constituencies greater than ever before.
“The Barisan Nasional (BN) only won 12 Umno state assembly seats in the 2013 general elections, but it is hoping to recapture the Selangor state government which it had failed in two general elections in 2008 and 2013 through the most unashamed, blatant and flagrant violation of the democratic principle of ‘one man, one vote’ in the redelineation of the constituencies, both for Parliament and state assembly, in the Selangor state,” Lim said in a statement.
The Gelang Patah MP claimed that the current redelineation exercise was aimed at helping Umno recapture Selangor, the country’s most developed state, as well as to help the BN lynchpin regain two-thirds parliamentary majority.
Lim urged the EC yesterday to redraw 13 “super” parliamentary constituencies that have more than 100,000 registered voters under the proposed redelineation, some of which are in Selangor: Damansara (150,439 voters), Bangi (146,168 voters), Klang (141,275 voters), Petaling Jaya (129,363 voters), and Subang (128,330 voters).
He had claimed that an average constituency in Peninsular Malaysia should have approximately 68,814 voters, but the recent redelineation exercise has caused an influx of voters in 13 seats.
Leaders from both the Pakatan Harapan federal opposition pact, as well as MCA and Gerakan from BN, have expressed objections to the proposed redelineation, claiming that it would lead to racial polarisation.
– See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/kit-siang-moots-selangor-snap-polls-amid-redelineation-controversy#sthash.havo2Gcg.dpuf