Increasing assembly seats necessary for Sarawak's devt trajectory, says rep
KUCHING (July 7): Increasing the number of State Legislative Assembly (DUN) seats from 82 to 99 is a necessary step forward in line with Sarawak's development trajectory and institutional needs.
Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How said the move reflects principles of good governance, and is consistent with Sarawak's ongoing efforts to strengthen legislative capacity in increasing its administrative, legislative and fiscal autonomy.
'The rationale behind the (Dewan Undangan Negeri [Composition of Membership]) Bill—particularly the increase in electorate numbers and the need for more effective representation—was well-argued.
'However, the reference to Sarawak's accelerated pace of development since 2014 understated the scale of the state's progress and financial achievements over the past decade,' he said when debating the Bill during a sitting at the DUN Complex today.
He viewed the proposed increase of seats as timely, describing it as a 'vital institutional reform to support the demands of modern governance'.
See said it would enhance the DUN's ability to respond to Sarawak's development needs, particularly in relation to devolution under the Malaysia Agreement 1963, and improve public accountability.
He referenced international examples such as Singapore, which has 99 Members of Parliament serving a significantly smaller land area, to illustrate how Sarawak—with its vast geographical spread—requires adequate legislative representation.
'However, land size alone should not be the sole determining factor in setting legislative composition.
'However, a more representative assembly would allow for the strengthening of democratic processes, including the formation of parliamentary select committees to scrutinise government actions and policies,' he said, adding that these committees were essential for transparency, oversight and promoting accountability in public administration.
'Thus, I hope that in tandem with the increase in elected members, the assembly would soon consider legislation to expand the number of members appointed to the State Cabinet to better reflect the composition and workload of the legislature.'
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