Kuching: Statements by several GPS leaders, particularly from PBB and SUPP, expressing disappointment and urging Parliament to immediately approve the addition of 17 new seats to the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly are misleading and should be corrected.
DAPSY Sarawak Vice Chief, Calvin Ohsey, said the need to strengthen the representation system in Sarawak is not denied, given the state’s vast size, unique geographical challenges, uneven population distribution, and the significant need for rural development.
“However, support for fairer representation does not mean that the constitutional process can be simplified or distorted to create the perception that the Federal Government and Parliament are deliberately delaying Sarawak’s intention to implement the 17 new seats before the upcoming State Election (PRN).
“The basic facts are clear. The Sarawak State Legislative Assembly has approved an increase in composition from 82 to 99 seats. However, that approval only sets the total number of seats. It does not automatically create 17 new electoral constituencies that can immediately be used,” he said in a statement.
He said that for the new seats to be used in an election, the Sarawak electoral boundaries must be reviewed and redrawn by the Election Commission (EC).
“Under Article 113 and the Thirteenth Schedule of the Federal Constitution, the EC must conduct a delimitation exercise, prepare recommendations, display the proposed boundaries for public viewing, open opportunities for representations and objections, conduct local inquiries if there are valid objections, revise the recommendations if necessary, and only then can the final report be submitted to the Prime Minister to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat.
“The EC must be given space to carry out its responsibilities professionally, independently, and in accordance with the Constitution. The delimitation process should not be used as a field of political pressure simply because an election is approaching, especially when the process involves the people’s right to scrutinize, object to, and evaluate boundary proposals that will determine the value of their votes,” he said.
Calvin said GPS leaders should be more honest in explaining this to the public, because each institution has different responsibilities under the constitutional framework, and this process cannot be simplified as merely obtaining parliamentary approval or “endorsement”.
“Redelineation is not a tool to arrange political advantages for any party. It is not merely about increasing representation, creating new political areas, or establishing new channels for constituency allocations. The true aim of redelineation is to ensure that people receive fairer, more balanced, and more meaningful representation.
“We all want the best for Sarawak. Therefore, Sarawak’s interests must be defended by respecting the constitutional process, upholding institutional independence, and ensuring that the new redelineation truly strengthens democracy and guarantees fairer representation for all the people of Sarawak,” he said.
