KUCHING: The proposed addition of 17 Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) seats, which has been approved by the Sarawak DUN, is still awaiting approval at the Federal level before it can be implemented.

Sarawak Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the motion regarding the proposal was tabled and received the support of the Sarawak DUN about a year ago.

According to him, the proposal involves increasing the number of Sarawak state seats from 82 to 99 seats to meet the current needs of the state.

“In the Malaysian Constitution, redelineation can only be carried out after eight years, and we have already passed that period.

“We feel there is a need to increase the number of Sarawak DUN seats, and that is why the motion was brought forward,” he said during a press conference here on Friday.

He explained that the proposal only involves an increase in Sarawak state seats and does not involve Parliamentary seats.

According to Dato Sri Abdul Karim, the motion for the additional seats had been tabled and received the support of the Sarawak DUN previously.

He added that the implementation of the proposal is subject to established processes and procedures, including the redelineation of electoral boundaries, before any changes can be executed.

“Even if it is approved in the near future, it is highly likely that the additional 17 seats can only be utilized in the subsequent state election,” he stated. — UKASnews



Prepared by: Nur Nabilla
Photos by: Ibanez Jeffery Guang
Translator: Ryan Lim