James Chin: Barisan Nasional benefits from re–delineation exercise of Sabah and Sarawak for few general elections

Sin Chew Daily, 10 June 2015

(Kuala Lumpur 9 June 2015) Prof James Chin, director of Asia Institute of Tasmania University says once Election Commission re-delineate parliamentary and state seats in Sarawak and Sabah, voters in rural areas of East Malaysia are consolidated for further secure Barisan Nasional’s winning chance in Sarawak. This will also benefit Barisan Nasional up to two to three terms.

Speaking at the conference called “The 13th Malaysian General Elections: The Sarawak Perspective” in Kuala Lumpur, he said the model of Election Commission consolidating rural areas of East Malaysia can’t be applied on West Malaysia as West Malaysia does not have significant voting trend like the rural area in East Malaysia.

Sarawak expected to retain 71 state seats

‘Apart from voting trend in Penang and Selangor are given to DAP and Pakatan Rakyat respectively, there is no significant voting trend in west Malaysia. Kedah and Johor tend to side Barisan Nasional.

“Re-delineation exercise is carried out once every eight to 10 years. An open secret is that Election Commission has drafted all the constituencies. Procedural wise it is required to seek public opinion. A non-official mode of operation is that if the area is contested by MCA, the draft would be distributed to the relevant people and persons in charge of MCA to discuss. It is learned that since 2008, Election Commission has increased large number of staff. Their job is to update electoral roll every month.”

On Election Commission would be increasing the number of state seats in Sarawak from the existing 71 to 82 seats under delineation exercise where Kuching High Court has declared the move as unconstitutional, he said in the coming state elections, Election Commission would be using the existing 71 state seats.

“Despite being challenged in court, it would only be delayed in execution. In future, election commission would still be using the drawn up constituencies.”

Chinese are still supporting rocket, difficult for MCA to win in general elections

Chin said in the coming general elections, MCA does not have high winning chance especially in parliamentary and state constituencies where Chinese population is more than 60%. Chinese voters are still giving strong support to DAP.

“Unless DAP is having an earthquake within the party, otherwise hard to change the fate of general elections.”

In the next general elections there will be five types of election mode where original strategies of focusing on Malays, Chinese or Kadazans in East Malaysia would be changed to Muslim and non-Muslims, rural (seats would be increased) and city, East and West Malaysia, election procedure and dwindling of minority populations.

Original Source: 詹運豪：有利未來數屆大選