BN parties to meet over re-delineation complaints

PASIR SALAK: A meeting will be convened on Thursday to study the dissatisfaction and objections raised by political parties on the re-delineation proposals by Election Commission.
Barisan Nasional (BN) secretary, Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor who will chair the meeting said all BN component parties' secretary-generals and state BN and Umno liaison committee leaders will attend the meeting to be held at the BN office in Kuala Lumpur.
"We will listen to their views and suggestions before a report is compiled and submitted to the Election Commission for further action before Oct 14," he told reporters after officiating the Pasir Salak Umno division meeting, also attended by division chief Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman here today.
Political party leaders, both from BN and opposition, protested against the proposed exercise which had created movement of voters from one constituency to another.
Tengku Adnan said the protest guidelines were given to the component parties during the coalition's supreme council meeting last Friday.
Among the dissatisfaction raised was the concentration of a certain race in some constituencies.
"We want multi racial parliament seats," said Tengku Adnan stressing the exercise is solely conducted by the commission which is an independent body.
"BN or Umno has no hand in it. Once in eight to 12 years such an exercise is carried out due to increase in population and district council jurisdiction.
"This time the protests grew louder compared to the past re-delineation exercise" he added.
Tengku Adnan said the exercise is just a proposal and BN/Umno will suggest counter proposals based on the feedback.
He added Pasir Salak, Bentong (Pahang) and Tapah parliament seats have been affected besides Lumut MCA division voicing their protest.
On former Umno vice-president Mohd Shafie Apdal taking over a political party in Sabah to contest in the coming general election, Tengku Adnan said: "He is not a threat to the BN in Sabah as the state is well managed by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman."
Meanwhile in Penang, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is of the opinion the meeting is a mere show.and thus a legal move to challenge EC's proposal could be mooted although it is a mammoth task.
He , nonetheless, said a state-level Pakatan Harapan meeting will be held in Penang (tonight) to discuss on the re-delineation exercise which may hamper democracy.
"I have yet to receive any official green light on PH presidential council meeting on the matter,' he told reporters after launching Science Corner at Seberang Jaya today.