THE Sarawak Government must expand its Cabinet to keep pace with the state’s accelerating transformation and modern governance demands.
Tebedu assemblyman Dr Simon Sinang Bada said enabling the appointment of up to four additional Cabinet members, is essential as Sarawak’s responsibilities have grown tremendously, while the size of its Cabinet has remained unchanged for decades.
“The move is both timely and urgent. Sarawak today stands at a critical juncture of transformation.
“We have expanded our autonomy, diversified our economy and strengthened infrastructure, yet our Cabinet remains relatively small even as the scope of governance has expanded,” he said when debating on the Constitution of Sarawak (Amendment) Bill 2025.
He emphasised that the amendment is necessary due to significant developments in autonomy, socio-economic progress and the complexity of modern policy issues.
Dr Sinang noted that Sarawak’s rapid economic growth has also intensified the need for a Cabinet capable of handling specialised and technical issues.
“Sectors such as the hydrogen economy, renewable energy development and digital transformation now require dedicated ministerial focus.
“The issues of today are far more complex and technical than what the original Constitution envisioned decades ago.
“To manage these specialised domains effectively, we need specialised ministers,” he said.
He explained that the amendment must also be viewed in the context of Sarawak’s evolving political and administrative landscape.
“When the State Cabinet structure was first established, Sarawak had a smaller population, a less diversified economy, limited statutory powers and far fewer development regions to oversee,” he said.
Dr Sinang contrasted this with today’s Sarawak, which now governs a population of more than 2.9 million people across a landmass larger than all eleven states of Peninsular Malaysia combined.
“Sarawak administers hundreds of remote rural communities and a rapidly modernising economy encompassing energy, agriculture, technology, tourism and digital services.
“It is unrealistic to expect a Cabinet designed for the Sarawak of the 1960s or 1970s to manage the Sarawak of 2025 and beyond.
“The scale and complexity of Sarawak’s administrative responsibilities have outgrown the capacity of the existing Cabinet composition.
“Our governance structures must evolve with our aspirations,” he stressed.
