Selangor may increase number of seats in state assembly, says exco

The Selangor government has not ruled out the possibility of increasing the number of seats in the state legislative assembly, taking into account the rise in number of voters aged 18 to 20 and increase in population due to migration to the state.

Selangor Local Government and Public Transport Committee chairman Ng Sze Han however said that focus should also be on apportioning the number of voters in the state between one area and another.

This is to avoid the occurrence of malapportionment or irregularities that would result in the value of votes in one constituency not being comparable with another, he said.

Ng said this on behalf of Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari at the state assembly sitting today, in reply to a question from Lim Yi Wei (PH-Kampung Tunku) who wanted to know about the proposed redelineation in the state.

Ng said in 2019, Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara had approved amendments to Article 47 and 119 of the Federal Constitution which lowered the age limit from 21 to 18 and that it was related to the eligibility to vote in elections; as well as the qualification to be a member of the house of representatives.

“Generally, although it has been more than two years since the amendments were approved, this process will be completed on Dec 31, 2021 and effective from 2022, according to Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar,” he said.

According to him, the last time the number of seats was increased in the Selangor state assembly was in 2003. This was done when the redelineation process was carried out before the 11th general election in 2004 which saw eight seats added, from 48 seats to 56.