KOTA KINABALU: Barisan Nasional (BN) can expect positive support from the people in the new areas under the redelineation process, including in Sabah, if the Parliament approves it.
Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) secretary-general Datuk Dr Johnson Tee is confident of this, when asked to comment on the possibility of an earlier tabling of the redelineation of electoral border involving state and parliamentary seats in the current Parliament sitting.
“Judging from the positive support for BN in the new areas, BN will gain most of the new seats.
“However in the case of Sabah, if the parliament does not approve the new constituencies, the people will blame the Federal government,” he cautioned when contacted today.
Tee who is also Sabah state assembly deputy speaker, said this is because it has been a while since the state assembly passed the bill back in August 2016, to increase state seats from 60 to 73.
“If the Parliament disapproves the bill, it may have negative impact towards BN in the coming elections.
“It will also be construed as disrespect of the Sabah State Assembly and insult to Yang Di-Pertua Negeri (Tun Juhar Mahiruddin),” he said.
In accordance with federal constitution, the motion will need a simple majority to be passed and will be enforced once it receives the royal consent and signature of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
In an exclusive news report carried on Sunday, sources told NSTP that the tabling of the motion, initially scheduled March 29, will be pushed forward, indicating the possibility that the Parliament will be dissolved either at the end of the month or early next month.
The motion of a draft constitutional order and a study report of the redelineation of parliamentary and state constituencies were expected to be tabled as early as March 19 or latest by March 26.