GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT DELINEATION

1. Is it delineation or delimitation?
2. It’s the same; both terms can be used.
3. What is Constituency Delineation?
4. It is the drawing of boundaries in the context of elections in
order to prevent imbalance of voting population across polling
districts.
5. Who is responsible for constituency re-delineation in
Malaysia?
6. The Election Commission of Malaysia (EC) as provided for in
Article 113, Sec2(i) of the Federal Constitution (FC).
7. How often must re-delineation be done?
8. It should be done no less than 8 years after the last re-
delineation. FC/Art.113/2(ii)
9. When was the last re-delineation exercise?
10. For Peninsula and Sabah, in 2003. For Sarawak it was
2005. Thus, it is overdue and we expect the EC to start the
process very soon.
11. How do we know when the re-delineation exercise
will start?
12. It will start when the EC publishes in the Gazette and
newspaper(s) where their proposed boundaries may be viewed
in each of the affected constituencies. Before that the EC
will inform the Prime Minister and Speaker of Dewan Rakyat of
their intention to start the process. FC/13th Sch/Part 2/ 4(a)
13. Who can object to the proposed recommendations?
14. Any State government, local authority or groups of 100 or
more affected voters in the constituency whose names are on
the current electoral rolls. FC/13th Sch/Part 2/ 5(a)(b)
15. How much time do we have to object?
16. One month from the date of publication in the Gazette
and newspaper(s). FC/13th Sch/Part 2/ 4(b)
17. How do we know what to object?
18. This is where the Delineation Action & Research Team
(DART) comes in. We have prepared a Checklist of grounds for
objections, a Google Earth-based mapping tool and Legal
Template to help you make an effective objection and proposal
to the EC. More details in our SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT
DART section below.
19. If we represent the 100+ affected voters, what
will happen after we make our submission to the EC?
20. If your objections are based on valid grounds, the EC will
have to hold an Inquiry to hear you and if your objections are
accepted, the EC will then make revisions to their
recommendations and display the revised recommendations
for a second time for one month and you have another
opportunity to object. After the second Inquiry and revision,
the EC will then present the proposals to the PM. FC/13th
Sch/Part 2/ 5(b)-8(b)
21. Must the delineation proposals be approved by the
Dewan Rakyat with a two-thirds majority?
22. No. It only requires a simple majority to approve
delineation proposals. But if the delineations include seat
increase, then the Dewan Rakyat needs to amend Article 46 of
the FC first with a two-thirds majority. Article 46 determines
the number of Parliamentary constituencies each State should
have.
23. How much time does the EC have to complete the whole
re-delineation exercise?
24. Within two(2) years from the commencement of it. That
would be from when the new recommended boundaries are
published in the Gazette and newspaper(s). The end of the
exercise would be when the EC submits the proposals to the
PM. FC/Art.113/ 9,10