Kuching: The proposal to add 17 new seats to the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) could impact the timeline for the next Sarawak state election.
If the proposal is implemented and approved through the necessary processes, Sarawakians may only face the state election in early 2027, possibly around January or February.
According to Soo Tien Ren, Special Assistant to Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen, this development also suggests that any delay in holding the election is not purely administrative but may involve strategic political considerations.
“From a political perspective, this development indicates that the delay may not be merely administrative but also a matter of political strategy,” he said in a statement following the announcement by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Amar Fadillah Yusof that the proposal to add 17 new Sarawak DUN seats is expected to be tabled in Parliament in July.
He added that the push to add 17 new DUN seats could reflect the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS)’s need to manage internal pressures and competing factional interests within its component parties.
“With open friction already visible among PDP and SUPP and with possible internal rivalries within PBB between races also requiring management, a bigger seat allocation would provide more room for negotiations, compromises, and power balancing.
“In politics, when tensions rise, a bigger cake often becomes the easiest way to calm competing appetites,” he said.
Soo also highlighted the importance of considering a wider national political angle.
“If the seat increase is tabled in July, this raises the possibility that broader electoral coordination may be under consideration, including the prospect of the next general election being aligned more closely with the Sarawak state election.
“From a federal political standpoint, that could suit the interests of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, particularly if a synchronised contest helps consolidate cooperation among component parties in the Madani government and avoids another politically damaging setback of the sort that weakened his authority after past state-level shocks,” he said.
He added that according to the report, discussions are still ongoing at the federal level, and any further development will depend on whether Parliament approves the proposal.
“At this stage, the Sarawak Government may still choose to proceed with the next state election under the current 82-seat system. That remains a political decision, and much will depend on how the political situation develops in the coming months.
“However, this latest development strongly suggests that the Sarawak ruling coalition is looking at an election timeline that goes at least beyond September 2026,” Soo said.
He said the reason is simple, and if GPS truly did not intend for the additional 17 seats to take effect in the coming state election, there would have been little need to push for the matter to be tabled in July and even less reason to highlight it publicly now.
“Doing so only creates uncertainty and confusion among political parties, potential candidates, and the electorate. The very fact that this is now being openly projected for tabling in July naturally raises the question of whether the ruling coalition is trying to prepare the ground for the next election to be held under the expanded seat structure.
“This is an inference from the timing announced publicly, not something confirmed by the report itself,” he said.
Soo further explained that once Parliament passes the increase in the number of Sarawak DUN seats, the Election Commission would still need time to translate that decision into the necessary electoral and administrative processes.
“The EC has already said it is reviewing Sarawak’s proposal, which indicates there are still procedural steps ahead before the increase can be operationalised.
“Even assuming there is no delay in Parliament, no obstacle in the Senate, and no unusual delay in royal assent and gazettement, the downstream administrative process would still take time.
“On that basis, a further period of at least around two months would be a reasonable political estimate before the new structure can realistically be implemented. The exact timeline has not been officially confirmed,” he said.
Soo, who is also DAPSY Stampin Chief, emphasised that this is political reading and inference, not something stated in the news report.
“Whatever the ruling coalition decides, DAP Sarawak will remain vigilant. We will continue to monitor the situation closely, carefully study every political development, and prepare for the battle that will eventually come.
“In the end, elections are not about seat arithmetic alone. They are about the people’s trust, the people’s future, and the people’s right to hold those in power accountable,” he said.
