EC to start study on redelineation of boundaries in Sarawak

KUALA LUMPUR: The Election Commission (EC) has commenced a study on the redelineation process of electoral boundaries in Sarawak this year.

Deputy Minister in Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Ramkarpal Singh said the study would involve a period of two years where findings will be presented to the prime minister once the study is completed.

He added that the study on the exercise in Sabah will commence in 2025, while the peninsula is scheduled for 2026.

"For your information, the exercise has already started in Sarawak this year, Sabah in 2025 and the peninsula in 2026.

"The exercise will involve the EC conducting studies for a period of two years and a report containing the findings (by the EC) will be presented to the prime minister (once the study is completed)," he said during minister's question time in Dewan Rakyat, today.

Ramkarpal said this in response to V. Ganabatirau (PH-Klang) on whether the government plans to undertake a redelineation process to ensure fairness for every constituent in upholding democracy.

Meanwhile, he added various factors will be taken into consideration in the study conducted by the EC, such as whether certain issues like proportionality context are appropriate to be included in the study.

"For example, this can be seen if we compare the population in Bangi, with approximately 300,000 voters to Putrajaya, which has significantly fewer, or around 40-50,000 voters. Hence, all of this will be considered by EC in their studies."

The redelineation exercise was last conducted in 2018, prior to the 14th General Election (GE14) after the motion was passed in Dewan Rakyat to address voter imbalance in constituencies.

The redelineation of electoral boundaries exercise was first done in 2003 and was used during the GE11 (2004), GE12 (2008) and GE13 (2013).

The exercise is a constitutional process to establish electoral boundaries and allow constituents to receive equal representation of their voting preferences.

The process also starts after a notice is gazetted under section 4(2) of the 13th Schedule of the Federal Constitution.

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