ARAU: The Election Commission (EC) will use the new electoral boundaries in the 14th general election (GE14) if the redelineation of electoral boundaries is gazetted before the dissolution of the 13th Parliament, EC chairman Mohd Hashim Abdullah said.
He said if passed by the Dewan Rakyat, the EC would present the redelineation motion to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to obtain his royal consent.
”We (EC) only need one day to obtain the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and then it will become an official document and can be used for GE14,” he told a press conference after launching the EC’s #jomkitasemak and #jomkitaundi campaign at Universiti Malaysia Perlis here today.
Hashim said the redelineation of the electoral boundaries was done based on the population growth or demographic development of an area, refuting the opposition’s allegation that the exercise was only aimed at ensuring victory for the ruling party.
He said the redelineation motion was supposed to be passed two years ago, but was delayed after opposition parties objected and took the matter to court.
On March 10, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the motion on the redelineation of electoral boundaries would be tabled, debated and passed at the current Dewan Rakyat sitting, which would conclude on April 5.
On the allegation that the EC had changed the procedures which concern polling and counting agents, and counting of ballots without early notification, Hashim stressed that the election system and procedures remained unchanged.
In order to ensure transparency in the polling and counting of ballots, the EC had called on all contesting parties to provide an adequate number of agents at all polling stations, counting stations and EC booths, he said.
Election observers from 12 countries
For the first time ever, he said the EC would also give the opportunity to university students to be involved as observers to oversee the election process this year.
He said the EC had also invited election observers from 12 countries, including non-governmental organisation (NGO) representatives, for the coming GE14, compared with observers from only three countries in the last general election in 2013.
Hashim also expressed hope that GE14 would be the cleanest election in the country’s history.
“I have faith in the security forces to ensure public safety and that GE14 will run smoothly, safely and in harmony,” he said.
The EC has set a target of 85% voter turnout for GE14.
The EC also launched its social media platforms on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube to enable the public to obtain any information related to the general election.
Registered voters can check their polling centres, through the My SPR Semak mobile application, telephone number 03-88927018, at any state election office or the EC official portal www.spr.gov.my.
They can also send an SMS by typing SPR followed by the identity card number and sending it to 15888.
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