BN's Chinese-based component party MCA has decided to oppose the redelineation exercise proposed by the Election Commission (EC), saying it will see the minority lose their political rights while the majority will dominate the voting process and the direction of the country, reports party organ MCA online.
“MCA views the redelineation as unsatisfactory, the Malaysian Chinese should view this exercise as a crisis for the country as it will further divide the people by races and promote racial extremism," party chief Liow Tiong Lai was quoted as saying.
Liow announced this at party headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today after leaders from 85 MCA constituencies met to discuss problems they found with the redelineation exercise, and propose solutions.
“We found that the redelineation as proposed by SPR gives a bad impact as voters are divided based on race. From the 40 MCA seats, 26 seats face changes covering between 1,000 to more than 10,000 voters.”
"The central committee therefore felt that this figure is big and will give a bad impact to the nation,” he reportedly said.
According to MCA online, Liow elaborated that “of the 26 out of 40 parliamentary seats affected by SPR’s move, PJ Utara for example, will see an increase of voters from 80,000 to 150,000.
Meanwhile the present 50 percent of Malay voters in Lumut will increase to 71 percent.
“Other than that, state seats will be affected as well, and this will hamper the candidates’ preparation for the coming general election.”
MCA urged the EC to reconsider the redelineation proposal as it will lead to racial polarisation, which it argues is against the government’s policy of moderation.
Liow said he has directed all MCA divisions to carry out a detailed survey and voice out their objections to the EC at the division and BN levels, all divisions to ensure that 100 registered voters submit their objections against the proposal in each constituency.
He remarked that “in the end, MCA will present the views from the special working group by states to BN in a special meeting with component parties on Sep 23.”
On Sept 13, the EC has released its proposed re-delineation for peninsular parliamentary and state seats.
Since then it has been showered with brickbats, mainly from electoral reform advocates and the opposition, who accused it of pandering to the government of the day and indulging in supposed gerrymandering.
