The question uppermost in minds of many today is whether the Election Commission’s Final Report on the 2018 Constituency Redelineation the most dishonest, dishonorable and disgraceful as compared to previous four Election Commission Constituency Redelineattion Proposals Report in the past four decades that the Speaker has to impose a ridiculous embargo!

In fact, will Election Commission’s final report on constituency redelineation be proof to justify the British international weekly magazine, the Economist’s 8th March, 2018 article titled “Stop, thief! Malaysia’s PM is about to steal an election”?

The Economist report alleged that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak feared that most voters would not vote BN to power again if given a choice, and is “taking their choice away” by means of gerrymandering and malapportionment, among other tactics.

It also cited the 1MDB scandal, in which US authorities say billions of ringgit have been misused, and said:

“Faced with the risk of losing power, the government is rigging the system even more brazenly. Parliament will soon vote on new constituency boundaries. The proposed map almost guarantees Najib another term, despite his appalling record.”

It noted that “the practice (malapportionment) is so unfair that it is illegal in most countries, including Malaysia, where the constitution says that electoral districts must be ‘approximately equal’ in size”.

Will the Election Commission’s final report of constituency redelineation proposals in fact be the final proof of thievery of the next general election?

More than two weeks have elapsed since the Economist article “Stop, thief! Malaysia’s PM is about to steal an election”, but despite the matter being raised both inside and outside Parliament, the Prime Minister has shown no signs that he would sue Economist to clear his own name and reputation, as well as the of Malaysia and 30 million Malaysians.

The question Malaysians must ask is whether Malaysia has become a double global kleptocracy, firstly because of the 1MDB scandal and secondly, as charged by The Economist, because of the theft of the impending 14th General Election.

(Speech at the Hi-Tea Pemuda Amanah Permatang Pauh at Kampong Paya, Pematang Pasir, Penang on Friday, 23rd March 2018 at 6 pm)