THE proposed expansion of the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) from 82 to 99 seats must be viewed as a strategic step towards equitable representation, not a political manoeuvre, said Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap.
In rebuffing criticisms from opposition members, he described their recent remarks as “political theatre” and accused them of adopting contradictory positions for partisan gain.
He pointed out that while Padungan assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen and Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong opposed the increase in state seats, he (Chong) had also been vocal about the need to increase Sarawak’s parliamentary representation despite the fact that parliamentary constituencies are often drawn based on existing state seats.
“You cannot argue for more seats in the Dewan Rakyat without first supporting a credible and logical expansion of state seats that form their basis,” he said in support of the Dewan Undangan Negeri (Composition of Membership) Bill 2025 on Monday (July 7).
Yap also criticised Padungan’s attempt to cite examples from Commonwealth countries such as Australia, Canada, and South Africa, questioning why comparisons were not drawn with West Malaysia.
“Peninsular Malaysia has 505 state seats across 11 states. Yet Sarawak, with a landmass almost equal to the whole peninsula, is only proposing a modest increase to 99. Why the double standard?,” he asked.
He also took aim at the member for Pending, accusing her of misrepresenting the Federal Constitution, specifically Articles 46 and 113, by suggesting that parliamentary seats could be increased independently of a re-delineation process.
“That argument is not only irrelevant to this debate but constitutionally flawed.
“Article 46 must be read together with Article 113. You cannot cherry-pick provisions to fit a political narrative,” Yap stated.
He stressed that such misleading interpretations only serve to confuse the public and distract from the Bill’s core intent which is to modernise representation and ensure legislative fairness across urban and rural constituencies.
On the strategic significance of the move, Yap said expanding to 99 DUN seats would place Sarawak in a stronger position to lobby for more parliamentary seats.
“If we use the common 2:1 DUN-to-parliamentary ratio, Sarawak could reasonably argue for 49 parliamentary seats, up from the current 31. That would enhance our voice at the federal level,” he added.
Yap also cautioned that rejecting the Bill outright was not a constructive form of check-and-balance, but rather, an act of political obstruction.
“We cannot fix an outdated system if we refuse to even let the process begin. This Bill is about fairness, not partisanship,” he said.
To his constituents in Kota Sentosa, Yap reaffirmed his commitment to pushing for better representation, especially as urban constituencies continue to face growing service demands and population pressure.
