PAS hopes for two-thirds majority win in GE15 to redraw election borders

 

PAS is aiming to win a two-thirds majority in the next general election with the help of its allies in order to redraw election boundaries in a way that will benefit Muslims.

Central committee member Khairuddin Aman Razali said the three Malay parties - PAS, Bersatu and Umno - will have to work together to achieve this goal.

"There are long-term (needs) that require us to win the next general election with a two-thirds majority. (Upon achieving this) the electoral boundaries need to be changed to benefit Muslims.

"We also need to increase the number of parliamentary seats in Malay-majority areas," he wrote on Facebook.

Based on Article 113(2)(ii) of the Federal Constitution, Parliament can pass new election boundaries without the approval of two-thirds of the Dewan Rakyat.

Electoral boundaries for Sarawak cannot be changed until 2023, followed by Sabah in 2025 and Peninsular Malaysia in 2026.

Khairuddin's suggestion that a two-thirds majority was needed possibly signalled that PAS has the intention of amending the Federal Constitution.

According to the Kuala Nerus MP, the goal of a two-thirds majority can only be achieved if PAS, Bersatu and Umno are involved in straight fights with the opposition parties.

Umno's supreme council had decided that it will not work together with Bersatu in the upcoming 15th general election (GE15). The decision is expected to be reaffirmed at the party's national delegates assembly this weekend.

Officially, PAS is a coalition party within Perikatan Nasional, which is led by Bersatu, and is also part of the Muafakat Nasional pact with Umno.

Both PAS and Bersatu are Umno splinter parties.

Khairuddin added that PAS will remain "patient" in its quest to ensure Muslims unite.

"Let's look at the long-term benefits we can bring to Muslims," he said.

There is ample evidence that the country's electoral system already suffers from severe malapportionment where voters in rural areas have greater voter weightage compared to urban counterparts.

The last redrawing of electoral boundaries, which exacerbated the problem, was passed in March 2018. - Mkini