EFFORTS are continuing to press the federal government to expedite the long-awaited electoral boundary delineation exercise, with the state government arguing that fairer representation is crucial for rural communities and the state’s development needs.
Minister in the Premier’s Department Datuk Seri John Sikie Tayai said the state government had consistently conveyed its aspirations on the matter through various platforms, including discussions under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) implementation action council chaired by the Prime Minister.
“The government remains hopeful that the delineation exercise can be implemented in due course, taking into account the need for fair and effective representation for the rakyat of Sarawak, particularly those in the rural areas of the State,” he said in his ministerial winding-up speech at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) today (May 18).
To an issue raised by Tamin assemblyman Christopher Gira Sambang, Sikie said the delineation and review of electoral boundaries fall under the jurisdiction of the Election Commission (EC) as provided for under the Federal Constitution.
As such, he said the timeline for the exercise was subject to the constitutional process and schedule determined by the EC.
He stressed that the exercise was important to ensure Sarawak’s representation remained aligned with the state’s geographical realities, population distribution and development requirements.
Sikie added that equitable representation was especially important for Sarawak due to its vast size and the challenges faced by rural constituencies in terms of accessibility and service delivery.
