Former Election Commission chairperson Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman's speech at a Perkasa event yesterday appeared to be an admission of engaging in gerrymandering during his eight-year tenure as commission head.
Outgoing Bersih co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan said Abdul Rashid had, in a series of tweets, brazenly admitted to this when he said that three re-delineation exercises which he oversaw had ensured that Malays remain in power.
"(The) former EC chair joining Perkasa is one thing. More important is his admission of (as I see it,) gerrymandering.
"Some of the re-delineation worked against PAS. How is this for the Malays? Seems it was more to favour party in power. What an admission!" wrote Ambiga.
Abdul Rashid, who was the EC chief from 2000 to 2008 and the EC deputy chief before that, had made the admission when he addressed the Federal Territories Perkasa meeting in Kampung Baru.
"We did it in a proper way. Not illegally. The people who lost in the past general elections claimed that we did it wrong.
"But if we did, how did (the BN) lose to the opposition in Kelantan, Penang and Selangor?” he is reported as saying by The Malaysian Insider.
Outgoing Bersih co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan said Abdul Rashid had, in a series of tweets, brazenly admitted to this when he said that three re-delineation exercises which he oversaw had ensured that Malays remain in power.
"(The) former EC chair joining Perkasa is one thing. More important is his admission of (as I see it,) gerrymandering.
"Some of the re-delineation worked against PAS. How is this for the Malays? Seems it was more to favour party in power. What an admission!" wrote Ambiga.
Abdul Rashid, who was the EC chief from 2000 to 2008 and the EC deputy chief before that, had made the admission when he addressed the Federal Territories Perkasa meeting in Kampung Baru.
"We did it in a proper way. Not illegally. The people who lost in the past general elections claimed that we did it wrong.
"But if we did, how did (the BN) lose to the opposition in Kelantan, Penang and Selangor?” he is reported as saying by The Malaysian Insider.
Was it legal?
However, Ambiga, who was the Bar Council president before leading Bersih, said that this admission meant that the re-delineation exercises Abdul Rashid had conducted in the past were illegal.
"(It) also means redelineation did not follow the Federal Constitution. Will this EC do the same? They should respond!" she said.
According to Article 113 (2) of the Federal Constitution, the EC can review the boundaries of constituencies in accordance with Schedule 13.
This schedule, among others states that the divisions should be done taking into account voters' convenience, local ties and disadvantages faced in rural constituencies.
In an interview with Malaysiakini in September, Abdul Rashid said parties should not blame electoral boundaries for their losses but instead develop the right strategies to exploit the boundaries.
"The BN had formulated the correct formula right from the first election in 1959 as it adjusted itself to the need to suit its election strategy to the geographical and racial pattern of the country's voting population.
"Constitutency boundaries cannot be blamed for failure to attract voters within different sets of environments to win the majority of seats to form a government," Abdul Rashid had said.
However, Ambiga, who was the Bar Council president before leading Bersih, said that this admission meant that the re-delineation exercises Abdul Rashid had conducted in the past were illegal.
"(It) also means redelineation did not follow the Federal Constitution. Will this EC do the same? They should respond!" she said.
According to Article 113 (2) of the Federal Constitution, the EC can review the boundaries of constituencies in accordance with Schedule 13.
This schedule, among others states that the divisions should be done taking into account voters' convenience, local ties and disadvantages faced in rural constituencies.
In an interview with Malaysiakini in September, Abdul Rashid said parties should not blame electoral boundaries for their losses but instead develop the right strategies to exploit the boundaries.
"The BN had formulated the correct formula right from the first election in 1959 as it adjusted itself to the need to suit its election strategy to the geographical and racial pattern of the country's voting population.
"Constitutency boundaries cannot be blamed for failure to attract voters within different sets of environments to win the majority of seats to form a government," Abdul Rashid had said.
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