Senator Abun Sui calls for new state seat between Telang Usan and Belaga
KUCHING (July 13): Senator Abun Sui Anyit hopes one of the 17 new state seats for Sarawak will be located between Telang Usan and Belaga districts.
The PKR Hulu Rajang division head said this area – home to Orang Ulu communities like the Kenyah, Kayan, Penan, Punan, and Sekapan – is vast and among the most remote and logistically challenging in Sarawak.
He explained these groups reside deep in mountainous terrain, far from administrative hubs, and are in dire need of stronger political representation to ensure their voices are heard in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) and in broader government decision-making.
'If geographical factor is indeed the basis to increase state seats in Sarawak, then it is imperative that one of the new seats is established in Belaga and Telang Usan.
'Belaga district alone covers over 19,400 square kilometres (km) – larger than the combined states of Perlis (821 square km) and Melaka (1,664 square km).
'Yet, this vast district has only one DUN (state) seat (Belaga) and a small portion is in the Murum seat, which makes it extremely difficult for elected representatives to effectively serve the widely scattered rural communities there,' he said in a statement today.
He was responding to news reports quoting Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof as saying the increase of state seats from 82 to 99 in Sarawak was in line with the state's geography.
On July 7, the State Legislative Assembly passed the Dewan Undangan Negeri (Composition of Membership) Bill, 2025 to add 17 new seats.
According to Abun Sui, the Election Commission (EC) and the Sarawak government must ensure that this increase in seats is not merely symbolic or political, but truly guarantees inclusivity and justice for all ethnicities and regions, including rural areas which have been underrepresented.
'The people of Belaga district who have sacrificed a lot for the two mega hydroelectric projects — Bakun Dam and Murum Dam — have long hoped for Belaga to be upgraded to the 13th division of Sarawak. The addition of state seats should be seen as an opportunity to start taking steps towards realising this aspiration,' he added. Abun Sui Anyit belaga lead new seats state legislative assembly Telang Usan
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