Up to EC whether increased DUN seats implemented in next state election — Len Talif
KUCHING (July 8): The decision on whether the proposed increase to 99 seats in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) will be implemented in the next state election lies entirely with the Election Commission (EC), said Datuk Len Talif Salleh.
The Deputy Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment said he could not comment on the timeline for implementation, as it falls under the EC's jurisdiction.
'I don't know, that is up to the EC. It depends on how quickly they can carry out the redelineation process,' he said in a press conference held in conjunction with the upcoming Sarikei Tuanku Haji Bujang Bridge Half Marathon at the DUN complex here yesterday.
Len Talif was responding to Padungan assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen, who had earlier questioned the need to increase the number of DUN seats from 82 to 99.
Referring to the redelineation process carried out in 2014, he said the time required for such exercises can vary from case to case.
'Historically, some cases have taken several years, others just one year and some only a few months.
'It's entirely up to the EC. We have no authority to instruct them to expedite the process, as they must adhere to specific guidelines and protocols,' he said.
'We have made the announcement regarding the 99 seats, but in the end, it is the EC that will determine the redelineation within the existing parliamentary boundaries,' he explained.
On a related matter, he said the principle of 'one person, one vote' cannot be applied strictly in Sarawak due to the state's vast size and low population density in certain areas.
According to him, building basic infrastructure such as a one-kilometre road in an urban area 'costs significantly less' than in rural areas even if fewer people live there.
'Even if the infrastructure benefits only a small number of rural residents, the impact on their lives is substantial. That's why infrastructure needs must also be considered during redelineation deliberations.
'All these factors must be taken into account by the EC in deciding on the new electoral boundaries,' he said.
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