Opinion: Is Sarawak going to unilaterally increase its Parliament seats?

Opinion: Is Sarawak going to unilaterally increase its Parliament seats?


28 Jun 2025 • 7:00 AM MYT



TheRealNehruism
Writer. Seeker. Teacher

Image credit: Premier of Sarawak Website


Recently, a news report emerged about how the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) has been scheduled to convene for a mysterious special one day sitting on July 7.


According to a letter sighted by The Borneo Post, the letter, signed by DUN Speaker Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar, has been circulated to all assembly members.


However, the letter does not disclose the agenda of the sitting, which is set to begin at 9am.


When asked about it at an event here today, Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said only that Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg would be “tabling something” during the sitting, without providing further details.


If that sounds intriguing enough, well guess what, according to a report by the Dayak Daily, what will be tabled in the special July 7 sitting, might be so explosive that it might very well rock the very foundation of the federation.


This is because according Dayak Daily, the special Sarawak assembly sitting on July 7 would see the tabling of a bill to increase the number of Sarawak's parliamentary seats to 46 and state seats to 99.


Sarawak currently has 31 parliamentary seats and 82 state seats. If what the Dayak Daily is saying is true, then the special one day sitting on July 7 will increase the number of Sarawak’s state seats by a fifth and its parliamentary seats by almost half.



Of the two, it is likely the increase of the parliamentary seat that will have an explosive effect, simply because with one fell swoop, Sarawak would have changed the power balance in the federation completely.


Sarawak assembly speaker Asfia Awang Nassar has already quashed the rumours that the state government plans to increase the number of parliamentary and state seats in the state through a bill tabled in the legislative assembly.


Asfia said changes to the number of parliamentary and state seats in Sarawak fell under the purview of the Election Commission, not the state assembly, The Borneo Post reported.


“The state assembly doesn’t (have any say). It’s the EC. It’s a federal power. It’s not the state assembly that creates (new constituencies),” he was quoted as saying.


Despite saying that the special sitting will not be about adding any state and parliamentary seat, Asfia was silent about what the special sitting will be about.


According to the ruling PBB information chief, Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah however, the Sarawak government is capable of increasing the number of state constituencies in the state through the legislative assembly, but not parliamentary seats_


“Being the highest law-making body in the state, surely it has the power to increase the number of state seats..


“This is, of course, subject to Article 113 of the Federal Constitution, which states that any review of the electoral boundaries can only be done eight years after the completion of the previous exercise.


“However, I don’t think the state assembly is empowered to review, increase or decrease the number of parliamentary seats in Sarawak,” Abdul Karim said.


Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah has also stated the state government had in 1985, 1995, 2005 and 2015 tabled bills to pave the way for more state seats to be added, bringing the total to 82 currently.


There has been a growing push for Sabah and Sarawak to be allocated one-third of the seats in Parliament, as per the Malaysia Agreement 1963.


However, in November, deputy prime minister Fadillah Yusof said the two East Malaysian states could only be given one-third of the Dewan Rakyat seats after the next general election.


Personally, I myself had gotten into trouble with Sarawak Premier Abang Jo, around this time last year, because I didn’t think he had it in him to do substantial things, like make Putrajaya give Sarawak its oil and gas rights as well as grant Sarawak additional parliament seats.


But if the rumours by Dayak Daily holds true and the July 7 mysterious special sitting is about Abang Jo declaring that Sarawak is going to unilaterally add state and parliament seats for itself, then I will have to stand corrected.


Since I got into trouble with him last year, I must say that Abang Jo has been getting increasingly aggressive in pushing for Sarawak’s rights.


In the last year, he has been aggressively attempting to obtain Sarawak’s oil and gas rights from Petronas.


Now if he is aggressively pursuing Sarawak’s parliamentary seats as well, I will have to admit that maybe there is much more to the man than meets the eyes.


I however, shall wait until July 7 to comment any further.


After all, nothing official is known about what exactly is going to ensue on July 7. Much of what we know so far is just rumours and suggestions, so for all you know, nothing at all might ensue out of it, other than the sound of fury.


But just in case, I shall mark my calendar to see what the frequency is in Kuching on July 7.