SUPP request for electoral fairness

suppadmin | April 25, 2015

Election Commission had on 28th March 2015, after conducting hearing from selective complainants, published the revised recommendations on the proposed recommendations for the State constitutions in the State of Sarawak. The proposal recommends for the increase of the State seats by 11 seats, from 71 to 82.

SUPP had during its press conference on 17 January 2015 made a stand on the 1st recommendation of EC and carried out a signature campaign to urge EC to relook at its recommendation in light of the fundamental principle underlying a delineation exercise as enshrined in the Constitution. SUPP petition supported by 7,301 signatures gathered from the campaign was submitted to EC office on 27 January 2015.

The key issue we raised was the denial of the fundamental democratic principle of one-man one vote. The petition stated the reason why EC had appeared to have veered from this principle and the consequences thereof. SUPP put forth in the petition suggestion for a fairer electoral system.

To quote from SUPP press release in January on ”Sarawakians want electoral fairness”:

“The proposal does not live up to the cardinal principle of democracy, which is one man one vote. In the original Constitution of Malaya in 1957 when Malaya just gained independence from Britain, this cardinal principle was adhered to. The constitution then provided for weightage difference of 15% percent. The Malayan Constitution was then amended in 1962 to increase the weightage difference by not more than half, that is the ratio of 1:2, to cater for the urban and rural divide.

Paragraph (c) of section 2 of the Thirteenth Schedule of the then Malaya Constitution reads:

“The number of electors within each constituency ought to be approximately equal throughout the unit of review except that, having regard to the greater difficulty of reaching electors in the country districts and other disadvantages facing rural constituencies, a measure of weightage for area ought to be given to such constituencies, to the extent that in some cases a rural constituency may contain as little as half of the electors of any urban constituency.”

The original intention for the differential in weightage was spelt out in the 1957 Constitution – having regard to the greater difficulty of reaching electors in the country districts and other disadvantages facing rural constituencies. The reason is based on the accessibility and geographical disadvantage of rural constituency. This states why the rural area needs more representatives (hence lower voters).

EC has not address the issue raised by SUPP. We urge EC to do so. This will provide legitimacy and transparency in the decision making process of an independent body. Failure to address this fundamental concern gives rise to the perception of unfairness; worse still discrimination.

As stated earlier, “this perception of unfairness has to be addressed should we all believe that the basic principle of natural justice – to be fair in its principle and transparent in its processes. We have to believe that we are all one community – Sarawakians; not only of any racial or ethnic community. It is only on this principle of fairness that lays the foundation of the whole community that is progressive and moderate.”

We urge EC to make its reasoning known and address the concerns raised by SUPP and that of the people of Sarawak.

Sarawak United Peoples’ Party