DAP Sarawak Opposes Seat Redelineation Over Unequal Voter Representation KUCHING – Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak has renewed its opposition to the state’s electoral boundary redelineation process, arguing that the proposed changes deepen disparities in voter representation rather than address them. DAP Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen stated that the party’s stance is not against increasing the number of state seats but is rooted in concerns over significant imbalances in constituency sizes. He emphasized that opposing how seats are drawn is distinct from opposing an increase in representation. According to Chong, a leaked redelineation plan shows extreme disparities, with some rural constituencies proposed to have as few as 10,000 voters while certain urban seats could reach up to 70,000 voters. This, he said, means one rural vote could carry up to seven times the weight of an urban vote, undermining the principle of equal suffrage. Chong noted that with Sarawak’s voter base approaching two million, a fair distribution across a proposed 99 or 100 state seats would yield an average of about 20,000 voters per constituency. He suggested that a reasonable variation of 30 percent would allow constituencies to range between 15,000 and 25,000 voters to maintain equitable representation. He too criticized the apparent inequity in seat allocation between parliamentary constituencies, pointing out that Kuching, with over 100,000 registered voters, received no additional state seats under the proposal, while Petra Jaya, with a comparable voter count, was allocated two extra seats. DAP Sarawak has formally submitted its objections to the Election Commission, urging for a redelineation process that prioritizes fairness and reflects the democratic principle of one person, one vote, one value. The party maintains that any boundary review must correct, not exacerbate, existing imbalances in voter representation across the state.
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