Redelineation up for debate soon

THE motion on the redelineation could be debated in Parliament next Tuesday.

Sources told The Star that the Government may table the motion before lawmakers this week and fix next week to debate and pass it.

This is despite the Penang government’s application at the Federal Court on Friday for leave to appeal against the Election Commission’s (EC) redelineation recommendations.

The sources pointed out that it was a matter for the court.

“The Government can decide to table the motion for the first reading.

“The usual practice is that a two-day notice is given before it is debated,” said the sources.

The Dewan Rakyat has allocated this entire week for ministries to wrap up debates on the royal address.

The House also needs to debate and pass the Supplementary Supply (2017) Bill 2018, which was tabled yesterday.

The source added that the Bill could be debated and passed in one or two days before the motion on the redelineation is debated.

The proposed redelineation will need to be debated, passed in the Dewan Rakyat and get the royal assent before it is gazetted.

It need not go to the Senate to be debated and passed. The motion also needs a simple majority of 111 lawmakers to be passed.

Yesterday, Beruas MP Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham urged Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia to delay the tabling of the EC report until the court decides on eight questions presented by the Penang government.

“This is a pending court case in the Federal Court. So, it will be prejudicial for the Speaker to allow it (redelineation) to be presented for approval,” he told reporters during a press conference at the Parliament lobby.

On March 9, the EC submitted its final report on the redelineation exercise of electoral boundaries for parliamentary and state constituencies to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Last Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi hinted that Parliament would be dissolved after the tabling of the redelineation proposal.

Meanwhile, the Dewan Negara will begin its sitting concurrently with the Dewan Rakyat next week.

It is understood that the Senate will sit from March 26 till April 5.

The Dewan Rakyat is scheduled to sit until April 5, while the Dewan Negara was originally scheduled to sit from April 16 to 30.

The early Senate sitting is a hint that Parliament may be dissolved early.