DARO assemblyman Safiee Ahmad has voiced strong support for the Dewan Undangan Negeri (Composition of Membership) Bill, 2025, saying the proposed increase in state seats is essential to ensure fair representation and effective service delivery, especially in Sarawak’s vast rural areas.
Speaking during the debate, Safiee stressed that the current composition, approved in 2014, no longer reflects Sarawak’s demographics, particularly after the implementation of Undi 18 and automatic voter registration.
“Since 2018, Malaysia has seen an increase of 5.61 million voters nationwide, with Sarawak recording the third highest number of new voters at 665,543.
“These changes make it necessary to add more seats, especially in remote areas where one representative has to cover enormous territories.
“Without new constituencies, it is challenging to provide timely and effective service,” Safiee said.
He cited his constituency as an example, which spans three divisions, Mukah, Sibu, and Sarikei, and four districts, requiring days of travel just to reach certain communities.
“As representatives, we cannot deny the rights of our rural constituents to access basic amenities like electricity, clean water, roads, and telecommunications,” he said.
Additionally, Safiee highlighted the difficulties faced by the Election Commission (EC) in redrawing Sarawak’s electoral boundaries, noting that principles like “one person, one vote” cannot be strictly applied due to the state’s vast geography.
“Any redelineation in Sarawak must consider size, geography, logistics, and our administrative structure of 12 divisions and 45 districts,” he added.
He further urged that proposed names for new constituencies be carefully chosen, taking into account community input, to respect local sensitivities, given Sarawak’s diverse ethnic and cultural landscape.
“Names must be appropriate so as not to offend or marginalise any community,” he emphasised.
Safiee also called for a review of parliamentary seat allocations in line with the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), proposing that Sarawak and Sabah hold at least one-third of total parliamentary seats to protect their rights as founding partners of Malaysia.
Furthermore, Safiee stated that the Bill reflects a commitment to inclusive development that benefits all Sarawakians.
“This Bill shows our commitment to a progressive, prosperous Sarawak where every citizen, urban or rural, can share in the benefits of development,” he said.
He expressed his support for the Dewan Undangan Negeri (Composition of Membership) Bill, 2025, urging all assembly members to back the move unanimously as a show of solidarity for Sarawak’s future.
