3 days ago
Increase in state seats vital to improve service delivery, say S'wak backbenchers
KUCHING: Sarawak's vast size and growing population require an increase in the number of elected representatives for improved service delivery, say Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) backbenchers.
Anyi Jana (GPS-Ngemah) said the Kanowit district, where his constituency is located, is larger than Melaka or Penang but represented by only two assemblymen and one Member of Parliament.
"Both Ngemah and Machan, which are in the Kanowit parliamentary constituency, cover a total area of 2,253sq km, compared to Melaka (1,658sq km) and Penang (1,033sq km).
"Yet Melaka is represented by 28 state assemblymen and six MPs while Penang has 40 state assemblymen and 13 MPs," he said.
As such, Anyi said, it was timely to increase the number of assemblymen in Sarawak to represent the people's growing voices.
"This will also ensure better administration and oversight in each state constituency," he said when debating in support of the Dewan Undangan Negeri (Composition of Membership) Bill 2025 on Monday (July 7).
ALSO READ: Sarawak to increase state seats from 82 to 99
The Bill, tabled by state Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah at a special one-day sitting of the legislative assembly, seeks to increase the number of assemblymen by 17 from the current 82 to 99.
Wilson Nyabong (GPS-Pelagus) said many rural constituencies in Sarawak were vast and logistically challenging.
"One assemblyman may have to traverse rivers, hills and forests to reach multiple longhouses, villages and subdistricts, all within a single constituency.
"With the increase in population and complexity of local governance, it is only fair that we create more seats to ensure every Sarawakian, especially in remote and rural areas, is adequately represented," he said.
Yakub Arbi (GPS-Balingian) said Sarawak's population was growing steadily, with approximately 40,000 students finishing Form Five every year and set to become voters when they turn 18 the following year.
"Without timely redelineation, these newly eligible voters will further congest constituencies that are already overburdened.
"The proposed increase in seats will help distribute representation more evenly," he said.
Opposition leader Chong Chieng Jen (DAP-Padungan), however, opposed the Bill, saying that the ratio of assemblymen to Sarawak's population and land mass did not justify the increase in seats when compared to other Commonwealth countries.
With a population of 2.8 million as of last year and a land area of 124,450 sq km, he said, the proposed increase would mean a ratio of one assemblyman serving 28,000 people and an area of 1,517sq km.
In comparison, he said the ratio in several Australian states ranged from one assemblyman serving between 38,000 and 90,000 people, while in three Canadian provinces the ratio was one assemblyman serving between 72,000 and 129,000 people.
"These are the statistics of other Commonwealth countries. I believe our assemblymen are on par with, if not better than, theirs.
"Why is there a need to increase the number of members?" Chong said, adding that the proposed increase would also involve financial costs in salaries and allowances.
