KUALA LUMPUR: THE Election Commission (EC) is preparing administrative work for a nationwide delineation exercise.
EC secretary Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh, in a statement yesterday, said the work involved gathering development information and marking increases in the number of residents and voters.
“An initial delineation exercise draft report will be produced before the proposals are forwarded to the Dewan Rakyat speaker and the prime minister,” he said.
Ghani said the last delineation exercise for the peninsula and Sabah was in 2003.
Based on the Federal Constitution, the exercise should be held every eight years, meaning that the last exercise should have expired in 2011.
Last year, the eight-year period for Sarawak also ended.
He said in mid-2011, EC decided to officially start the review after the 13th General Election, which was held on May 5, 2013.
“EC has decided to set the review simultaneously for the peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.
He said a review proposal report would be displayed for one month in selected places after EC has gazetted the delineation notice and announced them in at least one local newspaper.
“The period starts two years after the date of the gazette notice,” he said.
During the display, protest representation could be made by interested parties, namely the state government, local authorities, groups of 100 or more people and voters registered for elections, he said.
“EC will hold a local enquiry based on the protests received.
“If there are amendments to be made, the amended proposal will be displayed for the second time for a month,” said Ghani.
“A second local inquiry will be implemented if there are still protests against the amendments.”
Ghani said based on the second local inquiry, EC would prepare a final delineation report for the prime minister to be tabled at the Dewan Rakyat.
In proposing suggestions for the delineation, he said EC would announce issues raised by various parties and look at the overall delineation for the whole country.
“There is no question of election divisions based on ethics or favouring any political party.
“EC only makes delineation proposals.
“Whether there is an addition or reduction of election constituencies will be determined with approval from Dewan Rakyat.” Bernama