MPs slam leak of embargoed EC redelineation report
Kinabatangan MP urges Dewan Rakyat speaker to lodge a police report on the leak.
PETALING JAYA: MPs from both sides of the divide have denounced the leaking of what is claimed to be the Election Commission’s (EC) embargoed redelineation report by a website called The Other.
Earlier today, Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia had warned MPs that its contents should not be made public until its tabling next week.
The site posted a link to soft copies of all three volumes of the report, which is embargoed until March 28. FMT is attempting to get Pandikar’s reaction.
Speaking to FMT, Kinabatangan MP Bung Moktar Radin said the speaker’s instruction on the embargo was clear.
“The speaker should lodge a police report and the police must investigate this supposed leak because it could happen again.”
Labelling the leak as a “very serious crime”, Bung said that all parties, be it from the BN, the opposition and civil servants, must abide by the embargo.
PKR’s Subang MP Sivarasa Rasiah said the leak was tantamount to contempt of Parliament.
“It is like contempt of court where a police report can be lodged,” the lawyer told FMT.
Sivarasa said it was ultimately up to Pandikar to initiate action on the leak and take action against the website which uploaded the leaked reports.
He said Pandikar could lodge a police report or summon the writer to Parliament to explain his actions.
Meanwhile, DAP’s Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh said he would never condone such leakages.
If any rules were breached, then those responsible should be investigated, he said.
Amanah’s Parit Buntar MP Mujahid Yusof Rawa said no one entrusted with the report should release it to the public.
According to The Other, the redelineation report shows new state seats being added in Selangor, while the parliamentary seat of Lembah Pantai would see the inclusion of the Tasek Perdana voting district, meaning that police officers staying in Bukit Aman will now vote in the constituency.
After initially barring MPs from taking home copies of the report, which was placed on their desks earlier today, Pandikar allowed MPs to do so on condition that they abided by the embargo.
The Dewan Rakyat is expected to pass the redelineation of electoral boundaries next week before Parliament is dissolved for the 14th general election.
EC chairman Mohd Hashim Abdullah had said that if passed by the Dewan Rakyat, the redelineation motion would be presented to the king for his royal consent.
Critics of Barisan Nasional (BN) had claimed the exercise will favour the coalition.
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