242. Cleanse electoral roll first, Lajim tells EC

Cleanse electoral roll first, Lajim tells EC

Published on: Thursday, December 11, 2014

KOTA KINABALU: Pakatan Rakyat Sabah has urged the Election Commission (EC) to stop the redelineation of the State electoral boundaries until the Electoral Roll is cleansed of illegal voters.
State Opposition leader Datuk Lajim Ukin (pic) said based on the findings of the Commission of Inquiry, names of holders of illegally obtained ICs were still in the rolls.
"So we want to make it clear that the exercise must be deferred first," he said in a joint press conference with other State Pakatan leaders, namely DAP Sabah Chief Jimmy Wong and PAS Sabah Commissioner Mohd Aminuddin Aling, here.
Lajim said a redelineation of the State constituency boundaries could be done since the Barisan Nasional (BN) has a two-thirds majority in the State Assembly.
"However, we want the exercise to be stopped first to avoid gerrymandering," he said. It is learnt that there could be up to seven new state constituencies drawn up under the coming redelineation exercise.
Among the probable new state constituencies are Darau and Mengkabong (Tuaran), Limbahau (Papar), Pandasan (Kota Belud), Sepagaya (Lahad Datu) and Bukit Garam (Kinabatangan).
Meanwhile, DAP is organising a Forum on RCI Report: Hopes for Sabah or Cries for Sabah? at Palace Hotel here on Dec 11 beginning 7pm.
According to DAP Sabah vice chief cum Sri Tanjung Assemblyman Chan Foong Hin, the forum is open to the public for free.
On another note, Lajim hoped Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan would not accept the appointment as Chairman of the Working Committee on Foreigners until its Terms of Reference (ToR) have been drawn up.
He said it would be better if the ToR were to be drawn up by the State Government itself.
Wong asserted that Pairin, who is also President of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), must not become like his former Upko counterpart Tan Sri Bernard Dompok who was forced to resign as chairman of a Parliamentary Select Committee as he could not get cooperation from two key government departments.
"Pairin should not allow himself to become a puppet," said Wong.