KUCHING: The proposed addition of 17 seats to the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) is currently being worked on, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) Secretary-General Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said.
However, he said that there is as yet no confirmed timeline on when the matter will be tabled in Parliament.
“We do not have that information yet. The timeline is still unclear,” he told reporters after the GPS Supreme Leadership Council meeting at PBB’s headquarters here today (Feb 7).
When queried on whether the process could be completed in time, Nanta said discussions are ongoing but details are not yet available for public disclosure.
“This has been discussed and is being worked on, but I am unable to provide specific details or a clear timeline at this stage,” he said.
On whether the date of the next state election hinges on the matter, Nanta said the decision rests with the Premier.
“That is up to the Premier,” he added.
Previously, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Amar Fadillah Yusof said the proposal to add 17 DUN seats in Sarawak has already been approved but still needs to be brought to Parliament for finalisation.
He explained that the move does not require a two-thirds majority in Parliament and is therefore not expected to pose a major challenge.
“What would be challenging is if we were to increase the number of parliamentary seats beyond 25 per cent, as that would require two-thirds support,” he was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said had earlier said that any decision on the implementation of an electoral boundary review can only be determined by the Election Commission (EC) after the completion of the mandatory eight-year period.
She noted that, in Sarawak’s case, the eight-year period for a state boundary review ended on Aug 21, 2023.
The EC is currently in the process of preparing proposals for the review of electoral boundaries in the state before proceeding with the next stages as provided under the Federal Constitution.
Azalina added that the review will take into account the addition of 17 DUN seats, which was approved by the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly on July 7, 2025, and came into force on Aug 8, 2025.
