Home Civil Society Voices Persempadanan pilihan raya: Segerakan usaha reformasi pilihan raya (Malay/English)

Persempadanan pilihan raya: Segerakan usaha reformasi pilihan raya (Malay/English)

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[ENGLISH VERSION BELOW] Gabungan Pilihan Raya Bersih dan Adil (Bersih) mengusulkan agar pihak Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) memperluaskan perbincangan dan libat urus dengan semua pemegang taruh bagi mendapatkan pandangan yang menyeluruh serta kebimbangan yang berasas berkenaan proses persempadanan semula sebelum proses tersebut dimulakan.

Hal ini penting bagi meredakan kebimbangan kebarangkalian wujudnya persempadanan yang menguntungkan sesetengah pihak sahaja. Menerusi perbincangan atau libat urus ini, SPR boleh mendengar pandangan pelbagai pihak berkepentingan sekali gus memastikan proses persempadanan pilihan raya ini dapat dilakukan dengan lancar, adil dan seimbang.

Pada masa sama, kebimbangan yang diutarakan memberi justifikasi supaya laporan cadangan oleh Jawatankuasa Khas Penambahbaikan Sistem dan Undang-Undang Pilihan Raya dinyahklasifikasikan untuk dibuka kepada umum untuk diteliti, diperbahasakan dan direalisasikan secara berperingkat.

Penyahklasifikasian ini juga menuntut Jawatankuasa Pilihan Hak Asasi Manusia, Pilihan Raya dan Reformasi Institusi untuk memperhalusi laporan tersebut bagi memastikan agenda reformasi sistem pilihan raya serta reformasi institusi segera direalisasikan.

Bersih memahami kedudukan semasa yang memerlukan proses persempadanan semula pilihan raya dilakukan khususnya untuk Sarawak (kerana selang lapan tahun dari persempadanan terakhir pada tahun 2015).

Untuk Sabah, persempadanan boleh dibuat dari tahun 2025 dan semenanjung dari tahun 2026.

Tambahan pula, Bersih memahami sewaktu pelaksanaan pendaftaran pemilih automatik dan Undi 18 (akhir 2021), hampir enam juta pengundi baru telah dimasukkan dalam daftar pemilih.

Perkara ini membawa kepada ketidakseimbangan dan ketidakadilan taburan jumlah pengundi yang amat ketara antara kawasan parlimen seperti Bangi dan Sabak Bernam masing-masing dengan jumlah 311, 469 dan 51,842 (2023).

Perbezaan ketara ini tidak menyemangati semangat Perlembagaan Persekutuan Bahagian 1, 2 (c), Jadual Ketiga Belas, Bahagian 1, Seksyen 2(c) yang telah memperuntukkan bahawa untuk kawasan pilihan raya dalam negeri yang sama, bilangan pengundinya patutlah “lebih kurang sama banyak” dengan beberapa pengecualian tertentu.

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Justeru, bagi memastikan berlakunya keadilan dan keseimbangan kuasa undi terutama kepada pengundi di kawasan pengundian yang terlalu ramai, proses persempadanan pilihan raya kelak dilihat perlu untuk dilaksanakan dengan berasaskan prinsip-prinsip yang dinyatakan dalam Perlembagaan serta prinsip-prinsip sempadan pilihan raya yang adil dan saksama. – Bersih

English version

Redrawing electoral boundaries: Expedite electoral reform efforts

The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) proposes that the Election Commission engages with all stakeholders in discussions and engagements to obtain their full views and concerns with respect to the process of redrawing constituency boundaries before the process actually begins.

This is critical to provide clarity and alleviate concerns about the potential for a redrawing that may benefit only certain parties. These engagements and discussions enable the Election Commission to hear the views of various interested parties all at once, ensuring that the process is conducted smoothly, fairly and equitably.

At the same time, the expressed concerns call for the need to declassify the report of proposals by the Electoral Reform Committee so that it is open for public scrutiny, debate and phased implementation.

The declassification also calls on the parliamentary Special Select Committee for Human Rights, Election and Institutional Reforms to refine the report to ensure the prompt implementation of the agenda for electoral and institutional reforms.

Bersih understands the current circumstances necessitating the redrawing of electoral constituencies, particularly for Sarawak (due to an eight-year gap since its previous redrawing in 2015). For Sabah, the redrawing could take place from 2025, and from 2026 for the peninsula.

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Additionally, Bersih is also aware that since implementing automatic voter registration and Undi18 (the lowering of the minimum age for citizens to be eligible to vote in late 2021), almost six million new voters have been registered.

This has led to a notable malapportionment in the distribution of the number of voters in parliamentary constituencies such as Bangi and Sabak Bernam, with 311,469 and 51,842 voters respectively (2023).

This substantial difference does not align with the spirit underlying Part 1 Section 2(c) of Schedule 13 of the Federal Constitution, which provides that the number of voters in each electoral constituency in the same state must be “approximately equal” subject to certain exceptions.

The redrawing process for future elections therefore needs to be implemented based on principles outlined in the Federal Constitution as well as principles of fair and equitable electoral boundaries to uphold justice and a balanced distribution of voting power, especially for voters in heavily populated electoral constituencies. – Bersih

The views expressed in Aliran's media statements and the NGO statements we have endorsed reflect Aliran's official stand. Views and opinions expressed in other pieces published here do not necessarily reflect Aliran's official position.

AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
  1. Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
  2. Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
  3. Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
  4. Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
  5. Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
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