Henry: Increasing state seats a logical step toward more parliamentary representation
KUCHING (July 7): The move to increase state seats is a logical step toward increasing parliamentary seats for Sarawak, said Deputy Transport Minister Dato Henry Harry Jinep.
'Normally, one parliamentary seat comprises not less than two state seats. If we want Sarawak to increase its parliamentary seats, then logically, we need to increase the existing state seats so that the number goes (up) proportionately… It's a simple logic,' he said in a statement.
Henry, who is also Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) deputy president and Tasik Biru assemblyman, was responding to critics of the Dewan Undangan Negeri (Composition of Membership) Bill, 2025 which aims to increase the number of elected representatives in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) from 82 to 99.
This increase would result in the creation of 17 new state seats.
The Bill was tabled by Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah at the DUN special one-day sitting today.
Once appoved by the DUN, the Bill will then be brought to Parliament for federal approval
After both legislative bodies have endorsed the Bill, the Election Commission (EC) will be responsible for conducting the redelineation exercise.
Sarawak has been seeking an increase to its current number of parliamentary seats, which stands at 31.
This is in line with the proposal to restore the 35 per cent representation of Sabah and Sarawak in Parliament, in honour of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63). Henry Harry Jinep increase lead parliamentary seats state seats
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