Sarawak passes bill to increase assembly seats
KUCHING: The Sarawak Legislative Assembly will increase its membership from 82 to 99, with the redelineation of constituencies to be carried out by the Election Commission (EC).
This comes after the Dewan Undangan Negeri (Composition of Membership) Bill 2025 was passed in a special one-day sitting on Monday (July 7).
State Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah stated that the Bill aims to ensure Sarawakians are well-represented and well-served.
"This is a constitutional exercise done in the spirit of justice. This exercise is not about redelineation of constituencies but increasing the number of representatives in this House from the present 82 to 99," he said when winding up the debate on the Bill.
Abdul Karim also said the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) state government had no say in the redelineation of the 17 new state constituencies as this was the prerogative of the EC.
He dismissed allegations by Opposition members Chong Chieng Jen and Violet Yong that the seat increase was meant to strengthen GPS.
"The EC is an impartial commission. The state government does not set it up.
"Accusing the state government or this House of practising gerrymandering in the redelineation exercise is tantamount to demeaning the EC.
"We will leave it to the EC to do the necessary, pursuant to Article 113 of the Federal Constitution," he said.
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