“The periodic review of the composition of the Sarawak legislature is to ensure that it continues to reflect the voices and aspiration of all Sarawakians.”
– Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Sarawak Minister
ON July 7, the Sarawak legislature held a special meeting to introduce a bill that will see an increase in its elected representatives from the current 82 members to 99.
“This proposed increase is also in line with Article 113 (2) (II) of the Federal Constitution which allows for a review of electoral boundaries after an interval of not less than eight years,” Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, said when tabling the Dewan Undangan Negeri (Composition of Membership) Bill 2025, during the special sitting.
I agree with the main objective of the proposed increase as warranted by significant demographic changes, urban extension, and growing demand for equitable representation.
As spelt out by Abdul Karim, “it will also ensure that the needs and concerns of the rakyat are more efficiently and more effectively addressed and improve service delivery through leadership that is closer and more responsive to the rakyat”.
This is the more important part – having more elected representatives can be beneficial in a democracy, particularly in a geographically vast and ethnically diverse state like Sarawak.
It can mean better service delivery to underserved or remote communities and more voices in the legislature, especially for those who have not been heard before.
However, I wish to emphasise that quantity does not equal quality and therein lies the core problem.
With new seats, let us ensure that they are matched by stringent vetting of candidates. Parties must stop fielding cronies, family members or wealthy funders, and instead pick credible professionals, grassroots leaders or community activists.
Then, the voters must also play their role by not voting based on race, party loyalty or handouts, but evaluate candidates based on track record, vision and ideas, and integrity and transparency.
I feel the need to address such concerns now that my homeland of Sarawak will get another 17 new YBs. My expectations of them are high and, understandably so, since I’ve seen enough of wayward reps from both sides.
For us in Sarawak, it is necessary to acknowledge that our homeland is unique in its cultural and political landscape. While many of our so-called leaders have a reputation for pragmatism and relative stability, it’s also not immune to clan-based patronage politics.
It is also not uncommon to witness elected reps treating their constituencies as personal fiefdoms. Then, there is the danger of limited accountability in rural or remote seats, where access to information is still a challenge.
I have noted that while specific constituency names and precise geographic boundaries haven’t been publicly released yet, some news portals have speculated on the re-delineation exercise being tilted in favour of certain racial groups.
However, it would not be fair to comment on that at this juncture as nothing has been finalised. These details typically follow the Election Commission’s re-delineation exercise after federal and state gazettement.
But let me say this. If GPS is likely to consolidate power, continuing the trend of rural-leaning seat additions, with the proposed increase, then let us allow a strong and stable coalition to continue helming Sarawak. I believe this is what the majority of Sarawakians are in favour of.
At the same time, the opposition’s success depends on new urban seats and if this is absent, their voice weakens. Let’s hope that the opposition will also see some success in the new seats. We need a check-and-balance in a democracy. Let us not lose sight of that.
As expected, we have also heard the positive reactions of the proposed bill from government backbenchers and the “gerrymandering” claim from the opposition.
These are normal positive and negative responses we would have heard at every re-delineation exercise.
For me, I think that the Election Commission’s role is crucial and I expect the EC to act fairly and with wisdom and decorum.
It must be pointed out that fair implementation hinges on adherence to voter-size norms and community boundaries, as highlighted by watchdogs like Bersih, of which I’m also proud to be associated with.
As the assembly grows, legislators like Wilson Nyabong Ijang (Pelagus) are pushing to amend the state constitution to expand the Cabinet beyond its current cap of 10 ministers to accommodate the broader representation and complexity of governance. Yes, I can agree with that but let us be conscious too about a bloated Cabinet.
In the final analysis, my chief concern is the same – we need more quality YBs. The expansion from 82 to 99 seats should not be used as a reward mechanism for loyalists.
Rather, it should be an opportunity to include more underrepresented communities (eg, our more rural brethren) and introduce fresh blood – younger leaders, women, technocrats and civil society figures.
A bigger legislative assembly only matters if it houses men and women of honour, not hollow figureheads or political opportunists.
Sarawak deserves leaders who are servants of the people, not servants of self. May the One Above bless all our YBs with good health so that they can continue serving the people of Sarawak with diligence and great responsibility.
● Francis Paul Siah is a veteran Sarawak editor and currently heads the Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS). He can be reached at sirsiah@gmail.com
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at sirsiah@gmail.com.
