Redelineation: MCA and Gerakan's position then and now

MCA and Gerakan had opposed the Election Commission's redelineation exercise but when the matter was raised in Parliament yesterday, they voted in support of the new boundaries.

MCA's Khoo Soo Seang (Tebrau) and Gerakan secretary-general Liang Teck Meng (Simpang Rengam) were among those who joined the Dewan Rakyat debate on the motion to adopt EC's proposals and gave their thumbs up.

Khoo complained about how his constituency faced an influx of new voters and was now split between the Johor Bahru and Kota Tinggi district. His party, MCA, has no representatives in the Kota Tinggi district council.

"This causes problems for us to help people in those areas. I hope this (issue) that I'm raising will be given attention by the EC in the future," he said, before supporting the motion anyway without demanding amendments.

Liang described the EC's proposal as "wajar dan tepat" (correct and accurate) because it reflected the socio-political changes.

"I wish to remind (the House) that Malaysia's history has proven that the redelineation exercise does not favour any political party.

"Victory or otherwise by any party or candidate will be determined by the voters," he said. Liang too proceeded to support the motion.

These speeches [view Hansard here] was a far cry from statements made by top MCA and Gerakan leaders back in 2016, when both parties vowed to file their objections.

There is no evidence that their objections had any effect on the outcome of the exercise as the new boundaries had reduced the number of mixed-ethnicity seats.

Below is what MCA and Gerakan leaders had said about the redelineation process, in their own words:

MCA president Liow Tiong Lai:

We found that the redelineation as proposed by EC gives a bad impact as voters are divided based on race... From the 40 MCA seats, 26 seats face a change whereby it covers between 1,000 to more than 10,000 voters... (the MCA central committee) therefore felt that this figure is big and will give a bad impact to the nation.

Of the 26 out of 40 parliamentary seats affected by EC's move, Petaling Jaya Utara for example, will see an increase of voters from 80,000 to 150,000. Meanwhile the present 50 percent of Malay voters in Lumut will increase to 71 percent. Other than that, all the state seats will be affected as well and this will hamper the candidates' preparation for the coming general election.

As BN always suggests moderate policies which prioritises all multiracial interest. MCA urges EC to reconsider the redelineation proposal as it will lead to racial polarisation, which is against the government's policy of projecting Malaysia as a moderate country, whereby efforts are done to promote inter-racial understanding through education and community activities.

As the redelineation affects the nation, it should mirror diversity. When the redelineation becomes more extreme, the government's policies will give a bad affect to the nation.

MCA views the redelineation as unsatisfactory... The Malaysian Chinese should view this exercise as a crisis for the country as it will further divide the people by races and promote racial extremism. The exercise will see the minority losing their political rights while the majority continues to dominate the voting process and determine the direction of the country.

Some Malay-majority areas will have more Malays and Chinese-majority constituencies more Chinese. This is not healthy for a multi-racial society, it will push the country towards becoming a theocratic state. - Source: MCA Online

MCA religious harmony bureau head Ti Lian Ker:

If the EC's proposed redelineation exercise is not reviewed, it will take the nation on a path of racism. The EC must account their underlying principles and the basis of their actions.

Demarcation of constituencies according to racial lines does not augur well for the nation, and will lead to unhealthy politics and tear the nation apart.

This was because the proposed redelineation seem to serve to pit Umno's political tendency of Malay supremacy against DAP's politics of Chinese chauvinism.

This does not bode well for the moderation politics and policies practised by BN. Moderation is what the BN is all about, and this includes consensus building, consultation and taking the middle path. [Emphasis his]

If the proposed redelineation is strictly along racial lines, it will not augur well for nation-building. Instead it will have serious negative implications for the future of the nation in terms of formulating government policy, its implementation at the working level, as well as inter-ethnic relationships. - Source: MCA Online

Gerakan president Mah Siew Keong:

Even we (Gerakan) are unhappy about the re-delineation exercise by the EC. We will be submitting our objections in several areas, according to procedures. - Source: NST

In Beruas, Perak, for example, Gerakan had worked hard to wrest the area from DAP but the redelineation will give DAP the advantage. - Source: Bernama

We will be competing in 45 parliamentary and state seats in the 14th general election, however, the party does not favour the redelineation carried out by the EC.

I have instructed all divisions to compile reports on the redelineation before sending it to the EC in a week's time. - Source: The Star

-Mkini