ALOR SETAR: The Electoral Reform Committee will propose the setting up of a special commission to carry out redelineation of electoral boundaries in this country.



Its chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman said the move was aimed at reducing the workload of the Election Commission (EC), thus enabling it to focus on its main role of conducting the elections.



“This has been implemented in many developed countries, while it could also avoid the EC from being accused of carrying out redelineation of electoral boundaries to enable certain political parties to win the elections.



“Canada, for example, has a boundary commission which is responsible for carrying out the redelineation exercise after a certain period and this measure is seen to be fairer for the EC and contesting political parties,” he told a press conference here yesterday.



Earlier, Abdul Rashid attended the Kedah state-level open engagement programme on Reformation of the General Election System and Law.



He said currently, the committee was studying the models used in countries such as Canada, England and New Zealand, and to find a suitable one for Malaysia.



He said the special commission could be formed after a certain period of years to carry out the redelineation exercise and its membership would be determined by the Parliamentary Select Committee.



“This commission is not permanent, perhaps set up every eight years to carry out redelineation of the electoral boundaries. After that, it will be disbanded,” he said.



On a separate issue, Abdul Rashid said the committee would also introduce a “cooling off period” after the election campaign period and before polling day.



He said currently, Malaysia had no such “period”, hence causing the EC officers and staff, the contesting political parties’ machinery and others involved to suffer from fatigue by the time the election campaign ended.



“We will study a suitable period for our elections, as implemented in other countries. Perhaps, a duration of three days is suitable, so everyone will have enough rest before polling day.” — Bernama

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