The Malaysian Insight

THE  proposed new electoral boundaries for parliamentary and state seats will not save Barisan Nasional in the next general election, said Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin.

Muhyiddin said the ruling coalition was in panic mode as it knew that it had lost the support of most of the voters and that it would lose if the polls were to be held tomorrow.

“We can imagine all the dirty tactics that will be used in the next general election,” Muhyiddin said in his policy speech at Bersatu’s inaugural annual general meeting today.  

“Even now they are trying to pass the one-sided redelineation of election boundaries,” Muhyiddin said.

“But we are confident that if the majority of the people reject Barisan Nasional, the new electoral boundaries will not save them,” he said in Shah Alam.

On Wednesday, the Election Commission resumed its redrawing of election boundaries in Selangor by conducting the first public hearing for the Kelana Jaya parliamentary seat. 

Pakatan Harapan and electoral reform groups have claimed that the proposed redelineation for parliamentary and state seats are unfair and will create ethnically homogenous constituencies.

Muhyiddin also urged the EC to be fair and transparent, calling for the government to allow international observers from United Nations and Commonwealth Secretariat to monitor the next general election.  

“They will do anything to remain in power, they are afraid to lose because all the misappropriations will be exposed and many of them will be brought to justice. 

“They want to win not to save the country, but to save themselves,” Muhyiddin said, adding that postal voting would also be used by the government to cheat in the next GE. 

The hearings to hear public protests on redrawn electoral boundaries in Selangor are resuming after the state government lost its court case to block the EC from continuing the redelineation exercise by holding public hearings.  

The court case attempted to stall the hearings from taking place while Selangor gets a separate court decision to declare the redelineation exercise unconstitutional.

Observers have speculated that once the redelineation process for Selangor is pushed through in January, Prime Minister Najib Razak will call a special session of Parliament to approve the new boundaries.

Najib only needs a simple majority in the Dewan Rakyat to pass the redelineation. 

Once that is done, the general election is expected to be called after Chinese New Year on February 16 but before the start of Ramadan on May 17. – December 30, 2017.