Kuching: I believe the Election Commission must provide a clear, transparent, and responsible explanation to the people of Sarawak regarding the electoral redelineation version circulating online.
The public deserves to know whether the document is genuine and whether Sarawak’s redelineation process has been influenced or manipulated by any political forces.
Electoral boundary delimitation lies at the very core of democratic fairness, and any lack of transparency or indication of political interference will seriously undermine public confidence in the electoral system.
The people of Sarawak have the right to know the truth and to demand proper accountability from all relevant institutions.
This is in response to a 98-page PPT circulating online, which is believed to be an internal electoral redelineation document from Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB).
The document has spread widely across social media and has raised serious public concern.
Its contents, particularly the detailed plans for constituency restructuring and seat allocation, have sparked significant doubts about the independence of the redelineation process.
I want to stress that the Election Commission, as one of the country’s most important independent institutions, must operate strictly in accordance with the principles of neutrality and independence.
Decisions on electoral boundaries should be based on objective factors such as voter demographics, population distribution, the number of voters, and geographical considerations within each constituency.
The fundamental principle behind any redelineation exercise must be to safeguard the best interests of the people and ensure fair representation in a democratic system, rather than serving the political interests of any party or political group.
The 98-page PPT circulating online is believed to have originated from within PBB.
The document clearly outlines how various constituencies would be redrawn, the areas affected, the names of proposed new constituencies, and even how seats would ultimately be allocated internally within the ruling coalition after the redelineation.
Such comprehensive, structured, and detailed information cannot simply be dismissed as speculation.
The public, therefore, has reasonable grounds to believe that this may represent an internal political blueprint that could potentially influence the Election Commission’s supposedly independent redelineation process.”
If the final redelineation proposal released by the Election Commission closely mirrors the contents of this document, it would raise serious concerns about whether the Commission’s independence has been compromised.
Such a situation would severely damage public trust in the electoral system and represent a worrying setback for democratic development in Sarawak.
It would also reinforce the perception that the redelineation exercise is being carried out with “GPS first” in mind, rather than prioritising the interests of the people.
Electoral redelineation should always be carried out on the basis of genuine social and administrative needs.
For instance, constituencies with excessively large voter populations, particularly in urban areas, may justifiably require subdivision to ensure a more balanced ratio of representation.
At the same time, given Sarawak’s vast geography and uneven population distribution, it is equally important to ensure that rural and interior regions continue to have adequate representation in the legislative assembly.
Any adjustment must be carried out in accordance with fairness, practicality, and democratic principles, rather than being manipulated by the ruling party to marginalise opposition constituencies or engineer political advantage.
Therefore, I urge the Election Commission, at this moment when public attention and concern are intensifying, not to remain silent.
The Commission must come forward to explain the authenticity of the circulating document and clarify whether the redelineation process in Sarawak has been influenced by any political parties or external pressures.
This matter directly concerns the credibility of the Election Commission and the democratic rights of every voter in Sarawak.
At the same time, the silence from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) during this sensitive period has only deepened public suspicion.
If the document has no connection whatsoever to the ruling coalition, GPS should immediately clarify the matter to dispel public doubts.
However, if the contents indeed reflect internal discussions or planning, then GPS has a responsibility to explain to the people of Sarawak why political parties would be discussing or even planning electoral boundary changes and whether there was any attempt to influence the Election Commission’s independent functioning.
Electoral redelineation must always be conducted with full transparency.
The entire process should be subject to public scrutiny to ensure that every region receives fair and equitable representation.
No individual or political party should be allowed to interfere with the independent functions of the Election Commission.
At the same time, under the protection of the Federal Constitution, voters affected by unfair or unreasonable boundary changes also have the right to formally object to and challenge such proposals to safeguard their democratic rights and legitimate interests.
George Lam
DAPSY Sarawak Secretary
11 March 2026
