ALL the constituencies that have been renamed in the delimitation exercise in Selangor are held by Pakatan Harapan or PAS representatives.

With the new boundaries, the Election Commission has renamed five federal and nine state constituencies in the PH-ruled Selangor. Overall, the EC renamed 40 seats nationwide – 12 federal and 28 state seats.

The five federal seats that have been renamed are; Bangi (formerly Serdang), Subang (Kelana Jaya), Petaling Jaya (PJ Selatan), Damansara (PJ Utara) and Sg Buloh (Subang).

Bangi and Damansara are currently represented by DAP’s Dr Ong Kian Ming and Tony Pua respectively, while the other three are held by PKR lawmakers.

Petaling Jaya is held by Hee Loy Sian while Subang and Sg Buloh are held by Wong Chen and R. Sivarasa.

The EC changed the boundaries and renamed the seats amid complaints that it would confuse voters and favour the opposition in Selangor, Barisan Nasional. 

According to a Institut Darul Ehsan study, BN could win the next elections with just 42% of the votes under the new boundaries. 

During the last elections, the opposition obtained 52% of the popular vote but could win only 89 seats.

BN, on the other hand, had 48% of the votes and won 133 federal seats in the 222-member Dewan Rakyat.

Under the new boundaries, Petaling Jaya Utara that has been renamed Damansara, and will now have the most number of voters at 150,439 or 76.16% growth.

In the last election, the old PJ Utara had only 85,401 voters, and DAP’s Pua won the seat with 81.3% of the vote. Critics say doubling the number voters for the seat will only increase Pua’s winning margin while reducing other seats’ margins.

The other seats with the highest growth in the number of voter are Petaling Jaya (62.6%), Beruas (55%), Klang (40.3%) and Bukit Bintang (32%). The top five seats that will have a reduction in the number of voters were Sg Buloh (42.8%), Hulu Langat (34.8%), Lumut (29.7%), Kapar (26.4%) and Puchong (22.7%).

Similarly, all the nine renamed state seats in Selangor are held by Pakatan Harapan or PAS lawmakers.

Dewan Rakyat yesterday approved the proposal with 129 votes for and 80 votes against.

The controversial bill was tabled by Prime Minister Najib Razak. – March 29, 2018.