The Malaysian Insight

PAKATAN Harapan is confident that it will retain control of Selangor despite a re-delineation exercise by the Election Commission (EC), which is expected to favour the ruling Barisan Nasional, in the next elections.

It is this confidence which has led the pact to choose not to hold early polls in Selangor, fearing instead that it may confuse voters so close to the national elections which must be called by August.

PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli said holding the state polls early would be a waste of resources. 

“I think it is a bit too late to move in that direction. Between now and the final date (the general election is called) is probably two to three months. The effects are not big.

“If the proposal was put forward a year ago, for early state polls, I’m confident we would win and have a big impact on GE14 (14th general election).

“Now there’s no difference if it’s called now. Maybe BN would decide to dissolve (Parliament) also and carry out the elections at the same time. I think the people would be confused and feel ‘Why go through the trouble when the difference is only a few months?’,” Rafizi told The Malaysian Insight.

DAP publicity secretary Ng Suee Lim also expressed confidence that Selangor would continue to remain with PH due to its “excellent” administrative record. 

“BN may have some advantage in the re-delineation process and that has always been their agenda to win Selangor.

“However, I’m confident the grassroots support, especially among the Malays, would be in favour of supporting PH despite the BN tactics to change the borders and to use phantom voters,” said the Sekinchan assemblyman.  

“The state government is seen as defending the people’s rights. We are pouring our hopes into the people and we are confident with our administrative track record.”

Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayob said the people would continue to entrust the state’s leadership to PH as many held “negative sentiments” towards the government because of the rise in the cost of living.

“(If early polls) were called two years ago, that would mean that we are sending a message to the people.

“But to do it now, with the general election just a few months away, we might send a confused message to the people. 

“Nevertheless, we see the support for PH rising and Umno declining. We have the advantage in maintaining victory in Selangor,” he told The Malaysian Insight. 

Last October, the Selangor government filed a legal challenge to nullify the EC’s notice of delineation, claiming it violated the federal constitution in drawing up new electoral boundaries. 

Selangor also sought a declaration that the EC had violated constitutional provisions on the delimitation of electoral constituencies, leading to a malapportioned number of voters in seats.

The state government also cited the EC’s failure to use the latest electoral roll in its re-delineation exercise, adding that the roll it had relied on was incomplete and inaccurate and would affect 136,272 voters in Selangor.

Last week, however, the Shah Alam High Court struck out the Selangor government’s application to postpone its scheduled appearance at a local inquiry on the re-delineation exercise. – January 11, 2018.