Abang Johari: GPS broached Sarawak redelineation this year
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KUCHING, May 11 — The Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) supreme council discussed the possibility of the Electoral Commission reviewing voting boundaries for the state this year, Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg said today.
The GPS chairman said the coalition would make proposals on the new constituencies, but acknowledged that it was the EC’s prerogative to decide.
“We will give our views to EC on matters that should be taken into consideration in determining the new state constituencies that will be created by the EC,” he told reporters after chairing the supreme council meeting.
He said the GPS has basic parameters for how constituencies should be drawn up, such as including diverse communities and a mix of both urban and rural areas.
Presently, Sarawak has 82 state and 31 federal seats.
The last review of the state’s electoral boundaries was carried out in 2015.
Earlier, the GPS supreme council also observed a minute’s silence at the meeting to pay respects to Dewan Negara President Datuk Mutang Tagal who died yesterday.
Abang Johari said Mutang’s death was a great loss for the state.
Mutang became the Senate president on February 19 as a replacement to Tun Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, who left the post to become the governor of Sarawak.
The appointment made Mutang the first Sarawak native to head the Dewan Negara.