With less than two weeks left before the objection period for the Sarawaks redelineated electoral borders ends, electoral reform group Bersih is facing its first test to stave off boundary changes which it said is unconstitutional. It is this concern about alleged unfairness in the electoral system which has allowed Bersih to mobilise the largest demonstrations in the countrys modern history, but the redelineation exercise will measure if the movement can translate popular protest into groundwork. The objection period against the Election Commissions (EC) proposed boundaries for Sarawak started on Jan 5 and the last day will be on Feb 4. With only 11 days left, Bersih is scrambling to study the redelineated maps and coordinate with Sarawak-based NGOs to gather sufficient voters to object. Other than state or local government, only a minimum of 100 registered voters from a particular constituency can object to changes to the boundaries in their polling area. But before Bersih can even mobilise them, which will run into the thousands if it is to object to all new constituencies, the reform group is scratching its head at what it said is an incomplete map prepared by the EC. Its like searching for a needle in the haystack, lamented Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah. Maria said the movements is working on superimposing the ECs map on Google maps to get a clearer picture of the locations involved. The EC has essentially put up a bare map. All you see are the boundaries, thats all. There is nothing that goes down to the district polling station, you cant see them clearly... Its now a challenge to put up an objection, she told Malaysiakini when contacted. Meticulous process The movement will need to clearly establish where the new boundaries are and find willing voters registered in those constituencies. Any mistake can prove costly, as a registered voter from the wrong constituency may render the remaining 99 participants useless. As such, Maria said Bersih aim to have a 10 percent buffer by gathering at least 110 voters each from the constituencies that it intends to object. For now, Maria said Bersih has yet to decide on how many constituencies it will be objecting or the total number of voters it will be gathering for the entire objection process. We cant give a definite answer now as we are still trying to figure out the map, said Maria, but added that she is confident Bersih can meet the deadline. She said Sarawak-based NGOs, as well as Bersih experts, are assessing the situation on the ground. Aside from gearing up for the objection process, Maria said Bersih is also contemplating legal action against the EC. We are considering legal action as the EC has not fulfilled its constitutional obligation by providing poor information on its redelineation exercise, she said. Maria said she expects to have an update on Bersihs efforts by the end of January. The EC had prepared the redelineation of the Sarawak state constituencies ahead of other states in apparent anticipation of the state election which is due in 2016. The commission has yet to present its redrawn maps for federal seats in Sarawak. The federal election is only due in 2018.
Posted on: Sat, 24 Jan 2015 10:34:01 +0000
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