Kuching court declares notice on Sarawak delineation by EC ‘null and void’

The Kuching High Court orders the Election Commission to redraw Sarawak's electoral boundaries after declaring the original notice published by the EC as 'null and void'. – Pic courtesy of Bersih 2.0, May 25, 2015. -The High Court judge who ordered the Election Commission (EC) to republish its public notice of its proposal to redraw the electoral boundaries in the state, added another order today to declare the published notice as "not in accordance with Section 4 of the 13th Schedule and therefore null and void."

Judge Yew Jen Kie said the reason for the additional order to her ruling last week was to explain why she ordered the notice to be republished.

In her ruling on the judicial review, brought by Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How and a voter in Ulu Baram, Pauls Baya, the judge agreed with See's contention that there was serious and considerable lacking in the detailed particulars of the proposed recommendations disclosed by EC which were opened for inspection from January 5 to February 4.

Yew, in the ruling, found discrepancies in the proposals that were published in the regional dailies, New Sarawak Tribune and its Malay-language sister paper, Utusan Sarawak, with the one that was shown at the office counter of the Sarawak State Election Office.

Yew said it was essential for the EC to publish the electoral roll, the list of proposed changes, the areas affected so the public would know how they would be affected by the changes to the constituency, if they are affected and therefore could make a representation to the EC.

She said the failure of the EC to publish the notice in detail had breached the requirements spelt out in the Federal Constitution.

- TMI