Redelineation report embargo against constitution, Azmin tells Pandikar

Updated 6 years ago · Published on 23 Mar 2018 3:03PM · 1 Comments

Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali has called Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia's decision to embargo the Election Commission's re-delineation report 'unconstitutional' as it affects the people's right to vote. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Seth Akmal, March 23, 2018.

DEWAN Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia’s decision to embargo the Election Commission’s (EC) report on the redelineation of electoral boundaries is a betrayal of the country’s democracy, said Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali.

He said the redelineation proposal for Peninsular Malaysia had been displayed to the public in one form or another for over 18 months.

“There is no valid reason that the speaker of Parliament should withhold the final report from the public since it directly affects their democratic right to elect representatives to Parliament.

“Withholding this is nothing more than an act of sheer arbitrariness,” he said in a statement today, adding that the decision deserves “thunderous condemnation” from many.

The EC’s report was issued to MPs yesterday but lawmakers are barred from releasing or distributing it before it is tabled next week.

Azmin, who is also Gombak MP, said voters have the right to know if any changes were made in their voting district as it would affect their identity and political destiny.

He also said the decision to embargo the report was a violation to the voters’ constitutional rights.

“The recommendations put forward by the EC sharply increase the racial and ethnic character of our voting districts.

“This is a direct assault on the culture of multi-ethnic harmony that is an essential part of Malaysia’s identity,” said Azmin.

He added the EC should not be a political tool as they hold the responsibility to uphold democracy in the country.

“This is one of the stark failures of the EC that the Selangor government has tried to challenge in court. In fact, we are continuing to challenge the EC in court on this very day,” he said

Yesterday, Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia said the redelineation report will be tabled in Parliament next week.

He said the document, which is available only to MPs, cannot be distributed or published until it is tabled by the government.

He also ruled that MPs cannot bring the documents out from the Dewan Rakyat to avoid leaks to the media or the public.

He then reversed his decision following protests from the opposition and said he would allow MPs to take out the reports after studying the standing orders. – March 23, 2018.

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Comments

  • The concept of democracy is that the people is the boss. And parliament is the instrument through which the will of the majority of the people is ascertained and implemented.
    So, to present a motion in parliament but at the same banning the people from knowing the content until the last minute when it is moved for approval, is the greatest insult to the people. That begs the question: who does parliament serve, if not the people? Does parliament exist to serve the ruling party, or does it exist to serve the people?
    Speaker Pandikar’s prohibition of public access to the all-important redelineation proposal is the greatest cardinal sin imaginable in a parliamentary democracy and it reflects his utter contempt for the opinion of the people, for whom he is merely a servant.
    MPs should immediately move a motion to condemn Pandikar for such shocking insolence and ignore his totally inexplicable and unconstitutional embago of the document.

    Posted 6 years ago by Kim quek · Reply