By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Sept 5: Senator Abun Sui Anyit has urged the Sarawak government not to dissolve the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUNS) prematurely, saying the proposed 17 new seats could still be created and used in the coming State election if the redelineation process is completed in time.
The Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Hulu Rajang branch chief said the 17 additional seats remained a possibility provided the entire redelineation exercise was completed before the DUNS was dissolved.
He said the process must comply with the requirements of the Federal Constitution, including the objection process, recommendations and approvals before the new boundaries could ultimately be gazetted.
“Therefore, I urge the Sarawak government not to make a decision to dissolve the DUNS too early before the new redelineation process is completed,” he said in a media statement issued yesterday (Sept 4).
Abun Sui said if the timeframe allowed under the law was still sufficient, the Sarawak government should give the redelineation process adequate time to be completed so that the proposed 17 new DUNS seats could be used in the upcoming election.
He stressed that the issue was not merely about increasing the number of political seats, but ensuring more balanced representation for the people, particularly those in rural areas with vast geographical coverage and growing communities.
“I also believe that the people of Sarawak have the right to know clearly the actual status of the redelineation process and when it is expected to be completed,” he said.
Abun Sui said he would continue to monitor the process to ensure the interests of Sarawakians, particularly those in rural areas, were not sidelined in determining the future of the State’s representative system.
“The 17 new seats can still be used. What is important is that the DUNS should not be dissolved too early,” he said.
He also urged all parties to allow the constitutional and legal processes to be completed first in the interest of the people of Sarawak.
The EC recently displayed its proposed recommendations for the review of electoral boundaries in Sarawak, involving 17 additional State constituencies while recommending changes to the names of 10 existing State seats and one federal constituency.
The exercise would increase the number of Sarawak’s State seats from the existing 82 to 99, subject to the completion of the redelineation process and approval of the final proposals.
The proposed recommendations, issued in accordance with Section 4 of Part II of the 13th Schedule to the Federal Constitution, will be available for inspection from Sept 1 to Sept 30 during normal office hours at the offices of municipalities, local authorities and Residents’ offices across Sarawak. — DayakDaily
